Diastema and Children

Millions of American children have diastema. Diastema is a large space between the front teeth, that can be temporary or permanent. It is estimated that almost half of children under the age six years old have diastema. Fortunately, for most children, the condition is temporary. But even for children who have permanent diastema that persists into adulthood, treatment options are available. Diastema isn’t harmful, and treatment isn’t necessary. If you think your child has diastema, you may be searching for more information about the condition and the potential causes.

Potential Causes of Diastema

Despite how common diastema is, it helps to have a better understanding of the condition and the potential causes. Here are a few causes of diastema in children:

  • Natural development: Sometimes as a child grows and the mouth and teeth develop, there is a mismatch between the size of the teeth and the jaw. If the jaw is larger in proportion to the size of the teeth, there may be extra room in the mouth. This extra room can lead to shifting of the teeth and may result in gaps and extra spacing.
  • Bad habits: It is natural for young children to develop bad habits such as tongue-thrusting and thumb-sucking. However, many parents don’t realize that these habits can result in oral health issues such as gaps that develop between teeth.
  • Oversize labial frenum: The labial frenum is the small piece of tissue that connects the upper lip to the gums. This tissue sits directly on top of the two front teeth. If the frenum is oversized, it can push down on the front teeth, creating a gap between the teeth as they develop.

Treatment Options for Diastema in Children

If your child has diastema you may be concerned about treating the condition immediately. Fortunately, for most children this gap will close by itself by the time the child turns eight or nine years old. If the gap does not close naturally by the time the adult teeth have come in, then dental treatment may be necessary to help fix the gap. If your child has diastema, your dentist will likely first recommend that you wait until their adult teeth start to come in to see if the gap closes naturally. If the gap doesn’t close, there are a few options available to help correct the spacing, including:

  • Frenectomy: If your doctor determines the labial frenum is the cause of the diastema a frenectomy may be the easiest option. A frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure where the frenum tissue is removed. Once the frenum is removed, the spacing between the teeth will disappear naturally.
  • Braces: If there is an issue with spacing and alignment, braces are a great option to tackle both. Braces are a good investment if there are multiple issues with the teeth.
  • Cosmetic dentistry options: There are several different cosmetic dental treatments that can be used to treat gaps between teeth, including dental veneers or dental bonding. Your dentist may suggest these if the gap is small and the teeth are well spaced and aligned.

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