How to Fill Gap in Teeth? Know Your Treatment Options to Choose
Gaps in teeth might be cute when you’re a child but as you age, tooth gaps can affect your self-confidence and make you unhappy with your smile. They are a permanent problem that won’t go away without intervention. If you’re dissatisfied with your smile and searching for an answer to how to fill a gap in teeth, there are several possible options.
Why Do Gaps in Teeth Occur?
Unless you’ve suddenly lost a tooth, your tooth gap likely occurred gradually. Gaps in teeth, known as diastemas, are a common dental issue that arises when permanent teeth grow in. An oversized labial frenum can prevent the adult front teeth from meeting at the midline.
Other reasons that tooth gaps appear are gum disease, tongue-thrusting, or disproportionately sized teeth. If you have any of these teeth problems, you might have developed diastemas.
How to Fill a Gap in Teeth?
There’s more than one way to fill gaps in teeth. Depending on the teeth problems that led to the gap, your dentist might recommend various methods. Here are the most common ways to fix gaps in teeth.
Orthodontic Treatment
Getting braces, formally known as orthodontia, is just one solution for how to fill a gap in teeth. There are several different types of braces available. Orthodontic treatment will reposition the teeth in your mouth to close gaps between them. It can also be used to correct bite issues, overcrowded teeth, or crooked teeth.
The process of closing a tooth gap with orthodontics will take several weeks, months, or years, depending on the size of the gap. You may need to visit the dentist several times to have your braces adjusted. At Dentistry on Solent, we offer both clear aligners and contemporary braces for a discrete approach to orthodontic treatment.
You may need to wear a retainer occasionally after your tooth gap has been corrected by orthodontics. Without this, it’s possible your teeth begin to migrate back to their previous positions over time, recreating the gap in your teeth.
Dental Bonding
A quick and cost-effective procedure, dental bonding is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that adds a tooth-coloured resin to your teeth to fill minor gaps. The process requires minimal tooth preparation and can usually be completed in one visit. If you have cracked or discoloured teeth, the dental bonding procedure can correct these teeth problems simultaneously.
Your dentist gently applies a conditioning gel to the teeth requiring the bonding material. The gel roughens the surface of your teeth, helping the composite material adhere to them. Once the teeth are ready to accept the composite, the dentist applies the composite resin and shapes it to form your tooth’s new surface. After the composite resin has been shaped perfectly, a UV light will be used to harden and bond the dental composite into place on your teeth.
The final step in a dental bonding procedure is polishing. Your dentist carefully polishes the surface and does any final shaping needed so the resin matches the rest of your teeth.
Dental bonding is a straightforward procedure that achieves effective results. The material is resistant to staining, but over time can discolour or crack.
Dental Veneers
Typically made from porcelain, dental veneers are a thin shell that covers the front surface of your tooth to improve its shape and appearance. When a veneer wider than your natural tooth is applied, this will conceal any gaps.
A small amount of preparation is required to get your teeth ready to accept veneers. The dentist shaves a thin layer of enamel off the front of your tooth to allow the veneer to align with your other teeth. A temporary veneer will be applied while your permanent veneer is custom made to match your natural teeth.
When your permanent veneers are ready, you’ll head back to the dentist to have them placed. Your dentist carefully removes your temporary veneers, then cements your permanent porcelain veneers into place.
Porcelain veneers offer excellent durability when used to correct teeth problems. They are resistant to staining and can withstand decent bite force. With the appropriate care, they can last for up to 15 years.
Dental Implants
For severe teeth problems like missing teeth, dental implants are an ideal solution to fix teeth gaps.
The process of getting dental implants requires a surgical procedure. Your dentist inserts a small titanium post into your jawbone. Once the implant heals in three to six months, a permanent tooth can be placed with a custom-made, natural-looking dental crown.
Not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants. Your jaw must be healthy enough to accept the implant. If you have other dental issues, your dentist can work with you to correct them before receiving an implant.
Dental implants are an excellent permanent solution to significant gaps in teeth or severe teeth problems requiring tooth extraction. The permanent dental crown is long-lasting and looks and functions like a natural tooth.
Fix Your Tooth Gap at Dentistry on Solent
The compassionate staff at Dentistry on Solent can help you choose the solution for how to fill a gap in your teeth that’s right for you. We offer high-quality dental care to fix various dental issues, whether they’re cosmetic or restorative. Our dedicated staff will have you smiling with confidence in no time. Call us today on (02) 9158 6137 to book your appointment.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
