What is the name of the gap between the teeth?
The scientific name for the gap between the upper front incisors is diastema. Dentists divide diastemas into true and false. The latter are temporary large gaps in children and adolescents, which appear due to too early loss of baby teeth, an incompletely formed bite and some other orthodontic phenomena, but disappear naturally over time. True diastemas in children and adults are gaps between the front teeth, which are corrected only after certain treatment.
As for the enlarged spaces between the lateral teeth, they are called trema; they arise due to the beginnings of “extra” teeth and other disturbances during the formation of the bite. Tremas can also appear after the loss or removal of one or more teeth, when the remaining teeth “diverge”, taking up the vacant space.
Prevention
The only way to prevent congenital dental anomalies in children is a rational approach to planning and managing pregnancy, as well as the correct method of delivery.
At an early age, it is difficult to predict that a child will have a diastema. If there is a short frenulum, then doctors can easily solve this problem in the first week of life. In the process of growing up, parents need to adequately manage the organization of their child’s lifestyle. It is important to introduce complementary foods on time, get rid of bad habits, and also prevent postural curvature. Simple rules help to avoid the appearance of dental anomalies and cosmetic defects.
Why did gaps appear between teeth?
In childhood, a gap between the front teeth most often appears when the frenulum of the upper lip is attached too low - almost between the teeth. This applies to the front teeth. Another common reason why gaps appear between a child’s teeth is the buds of “extra” teeth that form in the jaw bone and prevent the teeth from closing together. However, very often a large gap between the teeth, both front and side, in children and even adolescents is a temporary phenomenon and disappears on its own when the bite is finally formed.
At the same time, in many cases, the gap remains in adulthood, if it is not very large and the rest of the smile is proportional, it is even considered a kind of highlight.
Causes of diastema
A gap between a child’s teeth appears as a result of various physiological and pathological processes. A physiological phenomenon is considered to be a false diastema - an increase in the spaces between baby teeth due to jaw growth. The permanent incisors that replaced them are much larger and therefore bridge the gaps. The reason for such an aesthetic defect as a gap between the front teeth often lies in heredity, when in each generation of relatives there are carriers of the diastema.
Often other (pathological) causes are discovered during examination:
- Pathology of the frenulum in the form of its shortening, massiveness or attachment in the area of the alveolar ridge.
- Pronounced interdental papillae.
- The presence of a supernumerary impacted (hidden in the thickness of the jaw) tooth.
- Partial congenital adentia (lack of teeth due to a violation of the embryonic anlage).
- Microdentia (reduction in tooth size).
- Hidden alveolar cleft.
- Tumors of the jaw.
- Periodontal pathology caused by general diseases (diabetes mellitus, heart failure).
- Bad habits - sucking a pacifier, fingers, pencil, biting lips, biting nails and adjacent skin. As a result of bad habits, the incisors may shift with a change in the angle of inclination or rotate them around a vertical axis with an increase in the interdental space.
What does a gap between teeth mean?
As we have already said, large gaps between the teeth may mean that there are rudiments of “extra” teeth in the jaw bone. This phenomenon can be easily determined using an x-ray; it can also reveal another reason for the formation of a gap between the front incisors - an overdeveloped bone septum. But most often, diastemas arise from a low-attached frenulum of the upper lip. In many cases, eliminating gaps between teeth corrects not only the aesthetics of the smile, but also functional problems - speech defects caused by diastema, malocclusion and others. In addition, quite often people who are critical of their appearance consider their gaps between their teeth to be an obvious defect, which leads to decreased self-esteem and psychological problems. In any case, diastemas and trema are treatable. At your request, the doctor will always be able to remove the gap between the front teeth, even if your case is not critical and does not threaten health problems.
Is diastema dangerous?
Parents of young patients who have a gap between their front teeth are concerned about the significance of this phenomenon for the health and condition of the oral cavity.
And indeed, there are negative consequences. Noticeable gap in the dentition:
- worsens diction, which in some cases becomes an obstacle to professional activity;
- creates conditions for spitting out saliva during conversation;
- promotes the deposition of tartar along the edges of the defect and the occurrence of caries;
- causes psychological discomfort due to violation of aesthetics.
How to remove a gap between teeth?
If you are unhappy with the gap between your front teeth or want to get rid of three, consult a dentist. At the first appointment, he will determine the reason why you have a gap between your front teeth or gaps between your side teeth, and will draw up a treatment plan. An x-ray or orthopantomogram may be required. Next, the doctor decides how to correct the gaps between the teeth in a particular case.
If the cause of the diastema is the frenulum of the upper lip, then correcting the gap between the teeth will require plastic surgery of the frenulum and minor orthodontic treatment. Trimming the frenulum in modern dentistry is performed bloodlessly and painlessly using a laser, and braces will help “move” the teeth. If you are concerned about your appearance during treatment, the orthodontist will advise you to use lingual braces - they are attached to the back surface of the teeth and are completely invisible. Sometimes you can do without braces at all; in such cases, transparent aligners are used.
If the gap is formed due to an overdeveloped bone septum, the intervention of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon may be required. But, as a rule, the problem of the gap between the front incisors can be solved very quickly by replacing the front teeth with ultra-modern restorations, for example, composite veneers.
Gap between teeth in a child
When examining children, a gap between the teeth is found in, on average, 10% of 2000 people.
When moving to a permanent dentition, this figure decreases to 0.9%. Despite the fact that these data are conditional, they illustrate the surmountability of childhood diastema.
If a child between the ages of 12 and 18 years has a diastema, it can be corrected using the same methods used for adults. But to determine the treatment method, it is necessary to clarify whether both incisors have a distal deviation or only one of them. This is important for choosing a treatment method.
Photos of stars with a gap between their teeth
Many stars not only do not seek to correct the gap between their teeth, but also insist that this is their distinctive feature, such as Lily Aldridge, who forbids photographers to “Photoshop” her smile. Dentists have different opinions on this matter: some consider the gap between the teeth a defect and insist on correcting it, others believe that if the increased gap between the teeth does not interfere with its owner’s life, then it is not worth touching it and once again injuring the oral cavity.
Cher Lloyd
A popular participant in the English release of the cult show X Factor chose to get rid of the gap between her teeth using aesthetic teeth extensions and, I must admit, she made the right choice.
Zac Efron
The reason why Zac Efron decided to fix the gap between his front teeth is clear. Shcherbinka gave him a too immature look, while the actor dreamed of serious roles in films. And in order for dreams to come true, you have to sacrifice something.
Madonna
Madonna has never had any serious problems with her teeth, except for a small gap. But over the years, she still needed the help of an esthetician dentist. Madonna had the shape and color of her teeth corrected, but the gap between her teeth remained, which looks very natural and does not spoil her at all.
Adhesive treatment method
The peculiarity of adhesive dentistry lies in the installation of lumineers, which, similar to veneers, gradually reduce crevices. Lumineers are plates of composite resins of minimal thickness, made to the shape of a cleft in a particular person’s teeth. Any lumineers are made only to order and are given a shade similar to the adjacent areas of the patient’s enamel. This allows you to give the smile of a particular person the most natural look.
Closing gaps using the adhesive method is the fastest way to eliminate gaps. The advantage of the technique lies in the absence of the need to remove dental tissue, which is an integral part of the procedure for installing dental crowns, and sometimes porcelain veneers. As for the disadvantages of the procedure, lumineers provide only a temporary effect. In the future, the teeth will be ground down again and a new layer of composite resins will be placed to refresh your smile.
Diastema treatment methods
- Therapeutic method. Suitable only for eliminating small clefts. The essence of the method is the cosmetic restoration of the defect using composite veneers.
- Orthopedic method. Treatment consists of installing ceramic veneers or crowns. This is a fairly effective method that allows you to eliminate diastema for a long period of time.
- Surgical method. It is used if a gap has appeared between the teeth as a result of incorrect positioning of the frenulum of the upper or lower lip. The method is most effective for young patients.
- Orthodontic method. To eliminate the defect, specialized braces, orthodontic aligners, and corrective plates are used. A significant advantage of this method is that the installation of leveling systems does not require grinding or grinding of teeth.
It is important to know. If a diastema is detected on baby teeth, no measures need to be taken to eliminate it! It is necessary to wait until the molars erupt.
Diastema: Closing gaps between teeth using braces, veneers and other options
If a patient has a diastema, it is important to answer several questions: is the defect cosmetic or functional? What causes tooth discrepancy? What procedures are needed to fill the gap? These questions can be answered only after diagnosis, which includes taking a panoramic image of the jaw or computed tomography, examination by an experienced specialist (orthodontist, therapist, prosthetist, implantologist), who can collectively identify the cause of the diastema and make a diagnosis. Only after a comprehensive analysis will the patient be recommended one or another option.
It is important to remember that such long-term solutions as teeth straightening with braces and dental implantation, despite the large time costs, allow you to save teeth from destruction for decades. They restore the bite, replenish the imbalance of the elements of the dental system, prevent pain from wear of the dentofacial joint, and naturally affect the tissues of the oral cavity. If you contact a specialist in a timely manner, it will be cheaper and faster to treat your bite. Experienced dentists will offer more effective techniques that will help avoid complications and worsening of the condition.
To choose the right clinic and doctor, pay attention to the doctor’s experience and qualifications. Only the presence of certificates of completion of specialized training gives the orthodontist the right to safely use such modern orthodontic devices as Dimon braces or Invisalign aligners. These advanced systems are highly effective and safe for health. They are designed so that the patient gets results in a short time without pain or discomfort. The materials do not cause allergies and are suitable for patients of any age. Knowledge of the features and subtleties of the system reduces the risk of tissue injury and improves the quality of treatment. Thus, the patient spends less time visiting the clinic and intermediate stages of recovery.
Pay attention to reviews of other patients about the work of doctors. Check out the photos of the doctor's finished work. Quality certificates are mandatory for top products. A reputable clinic will provide you with all the necessary documents and explain in clear language the main points of compliance with the terms of insurance and service. If the team in the clinic works harmoniously, then if any questions arise to different specialists, the optimal treatment option will be found, which single doctors or dentists from different clinics cannot offer. This factor should be taken into account by those who want to save money on long-term and expensive treatment.
In our clinic we work only with original products, so we can guarantee high-quality results in a short time. After a thorough and detailed consultation, patients have a complete understanding of the upcoming procedure and the cost of treatment without hidden fees. We provide discounts and regularly hold promotions to make quality treatment available to everyone. The clinic is located in the center of Moscow within walking distance from the metro. Therefore, even if you regularly visit the orthodontist for several months, you will not experience discomfort and will save time on visiting a specialist. Our administrators will select a convenient time for registration.
