Excessive space never looks good be it among people or between teeth.

Spacing between the teeth is one of the most commonly faced problems amongst the adults making them conscious about their smile. Diastema is a space or gap between two teeth. The term is most commonly applied to an open space between the upper front teeth.

However spacing between front teeth in kids especially in the age group of 7-11 years should never be a matter of concern to parents as it’s a part of the process of teeth eruption known as ugly duckling stage that usually settles on its own as the canines erupt.

Cause of Spacing (Diastema)

Diastema occurs when there is

• An unequal relationship between the size of the teeth and the jaw.
• Heavy action of a labial frenulum/thick frenum (the tissue connecting the lip to the gum)
• Childhood habits such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting.
• Due to periodontal diseases, flaring of front teeth is common.
• Congenitally missing teeth
• Non replacement of extracted teeth causes the other teeth to move apart.

Treatment

There are two options of treating spacing in between the teeth:

• Either orthodontically moving the teeth together (provided all of them are present) and this line of treatment usually requires an average of 8-12 months for correction and maintenance of a fixed lingual retainer.
• Or it involves placement of dental laminates or metal free crowns. This treatment will be completed in 7 days.
• Correction of cause is also equally important for longevity of the treatment. This cause is identified by your dentist and corrective measures are counselled.

FAQs

How do I know which treatment option is best for me ?
During your first consultation, a preliminary examination will be done to assess your oral health. An x-ray will be taken, to study your teeth and bone health. Accordingly your dentist will plan your treatment and discuss the goals of the treatment outcome with you.

What is cosmetic treatment or Smile designing?
It is an artistic method to align your teeth and beautify your smile. In this we design the crowns so as to close the gaps between the teeth. Laminates and Lumineers are relatively non invasive methods of achieving gap closure along with change in colour and shape of the teeth when the teeth are perfectly aligned.

How does cosmetic Treatment close the space?
Porcelain veneers are eggshell thin pieces of porcelain applied directly over the tooth structure after some initial tooth preparation. Once the porcelain veneers are fused to the underlying tooth structure, they can re-establish the look of straight teeth and can close spaces without the use of braces. Additionally, the colour, shape, and size of the teeth can be altered to the wishes of the patient for overall smile enhancement. And the greatest advantage of porcelain veneers is that the treatment can be completed in only 2-3 painless visits. Jacket crowns are similar to veneer in material and thickness, however completely encircle the tooth when the position needs to be changed or the tooth requires strengthening.

What is the investment required in terms of time?
Orthodontically correcting the teeth requires 7-12months while cosmetic correction is achieved within 7-10 days.

What are the costs involved?
The cost depends on the type and quality of materials involved. You can visit the treatment charges section and crowns/dental laminates/orthodontic sections for further information.

Is the procedure painful?
Before starting with the procedure we always numb the tissue by administering a local anaesthesia so that you don’t experience any pain or discomfort and you will be leaving the dental clinic with temporary crowns so that there is no fear of pain either during or after the procedure.

Will the new teeth look Natural?
All cosmetic treatments involve CAD CAM technology and metal free materials (porcelain/zirconia) that ensure precise fit and translucency (naturality).

Can any nearest dentist do the procedure?
Cosmetic dentistry requires thorough knowledge of the aesthetic principles, a keen eye for aesthetics and knowledge of handling superior materials such as rubber base, light body, bonding cements etc that play a key role in the outcome. Also, the art involves expertise in methodical sequencing of treatment to reduce the no. of visits and providing aesthetics without compromising the integrity of the tooth. Hence, a Master’s degree and high experience of the concerned dentist are always recommended.

Is it a permanent treatment?
YES. The crowns/ laminates are permanently bonded onto the teeth.