What is Diastema?

Does someone you know have a gap between their two front teeth? The dental term for this space is diastema. Diastema is an extremely common condition among American children and adults. What causes diastema? There are many possible causes including missing teeth, unequal tooth sizes, or an oversized labial frenum that may be genetic. If you or your child has diastema and you are considering treatment, you should discuss treatment options with your dentist. Here is more information about diastema and some available treatment solutions to consider.

Treatment for Diastema

The good news is there are many treatment options available for diastema. In some cases, multiple issues need to be treated to correct the spacing. Prior to picking the right treatment for you it helps to have an idea of the cause of the condition and an understanding of your overall oral health. Depending on your dentist, your specific oral health and your comfort, there are both orthodontic and cosmetic treatment options available. The more common treatment approaches include:

·       Braces: If you don’t mind the discomfort, braces are one of the most common treatment approaches for diastema. Treatment with braces will take between 6 months to a couple of years depending on the state of the teeth and the size of the spacing. The braces work by slowly pulling the teeth into place, rearranging them into perfect alignment.

·       Removable orthodontics: If the diastema is less severe and the space between the teeth is smaller, it may be possible to treat it with a removable orthodontic treatment, such as Invisalign. Invisalign and other removal orthodontics work like braces to reduce spacing. Depending on your comfort and the severity of your diastema, the removable orthodontic options will need to be worn for a few months up to several years.

·       Dental Implants: If the cause of the spacing is a missing tooth, replacing the tooth with a dental implant will be the best treatment option. A dental implant is a metal post that is surgically inserted into the jawbone with an artificial crown attached to the top. The implant acts similar to the root of a natural tooth and will help maintain the spacing of the other teeth in the mouth.

·       Dental Bonding: Bonding is an affordable cosmetic solution to minimize gaps between teeth. If the diastema is less severe, the solution may be as easy as increasing the size of the teeth. To fix the gap, the bonding putty is applied to the tooth on each side of the gap and shaped to slightly increase their size, minimizing the space between the teeth.

·       Dental Veneers: Dental veneers are a popular and effective solution to correct diastema. The veneers designed to reduce diastema are made to be slightly wider than the front teeth, therefore minimizing the space between the teeth.

Getting Started with Treating Your Diastema

If you have decided to pursue treatment for your diastema, the first place to start is to have a conversation with your dentist. Talking with you dentist will help you decide which treatment option is best for you, your oral health needs, and is within your budget.

More on Diastema : Causes of Diastema