Gaps in a person’s front teeth are noticeable and prominent, often causing people to hide their smiles. If you’re tired of being self-conscious and hiding your smile, our office has treatment options that will quickly close the gap between your teeth.
But the right one for you may differ from what’s ideal for the next person.
A visit to our office and a quick exam are often all that’s needed for us to recommend a treatment that will work best for you.
Treatment Options to Close a Gap Between the Front Teeth
If you want to close the gap between your front teeth, we may recommend the following treatment options:
Dental Bonding
Enhancing your smile with dental bonding is a reversible option and one that many people seek if they’re not comfortable with the idea of getting veneers.
What is Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding closes gaps between your teeth by using a special composite bonding that is applied to your teeth.
Benefits of Dental Bonding
- 100% reversible, so you can opt to remove the resin without worrying about your underlying teeth being damaged in the process
- Matches the natural color of your teeth
- It doesn’t cause pain or discomfort
- The procedure is done in 30 - 60 minutes and is more permanant that a temporary fix
Understanding the Dental Bonding Procedure
If you’re scared of the dentist, you’ll be happy to know that dental bonding is a quick and easy procedure that doesn’t require anesthesia - in most cases. During the treatment, we’ll:
- Select a composite resin that matches your current tooth shade
- Prepare the tooth by roughening it to improve the adhesion of the composite
- Apply the composite and mold it to the tooth
- Shape the composite to create a natural look and bite
- Cure the material using a special light and then polish the tooth
Once cured, you’re free to go home and resume your normal routine.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are ideal when you have missing teeth because they work to bridge the gap left by your missing tooth. If a lost tooth causes your tooth gap, this may be the right treatment option for you.
What are Dental Bridges?
Bridges consist of crowns and a pontic(s). The bridge will use the teeth that surround the gap to support the pontic or false tooth. Your two natural teeth around the missing tooth will act as an anchor in which the fake tooth is supported. The bridge is cemented in place to your natural teeth.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
- Dental bridges can last 10 years or up to a lifetime with proper care.
- Bridges look and feel natural.
- Act as a permanent tooth restoration.
Understanding the Dental Bridge Procedure
Multiple types of bridges are available. The right choice for you will depend on how many teeth need to be replaced and if an implant is needed to support the bridge. The four main types of bridges include:
- Cantilever
- Implant-supported
- Maryland dental bridge
- Traditional fixed bridge
If we find that a dental bridge is the best option for restoring your teeth, we’ll discuss the procedure with you beforehand so that you know what to expect.
Frenectomy
Frenectomies are a form of surgery where a person has either a lip-tie or tongue-tie corrected. However, we can also use this same procedure to close gaps between teeth. The process is performed when the connecting tissue between the gums and upper lip extends through the front teeth.
In this case, we can reduce this connective tissue, called the labial frenum, and then use bonding or veneers to close the gap.
What is a Frenectomy?
Frenectomy is a surgical procedure that is used to remove excess tissue from the labial frenum.
Understanding the Frenectomy Procedure
The rate of frenectomy is on the rise, but dentists have refined the procedure to help anyone suffering from this condition. If you do need this procedure performed, we’ll have to:
- Remove or modify the abnormal band of tissue
- Place stitches or sutures to close the incision or use a laser that will cauterize the site immediately
In total, most people are in and out of the office within 30 minutes. Sedation may or may not be required, and an oral sedative or laughing gas may be more than enough to allow you to be comfortable during the procedure.
Implants
Dental implants are one of the most popular ways to restore missing teeth because they’re implanted into the jawbone and remain in place permanently.
What are Dental Implants?
Implants have many parts:
- Implant body, which remains in your jawbone
- Abutment, which attaches to the implant body
- Crown, or the visible “tooth” that you see
If you have a missing tooth that is causing the gap between your teeth, an implant may be your best choice for restoration.
Benefits of Dental Implants
- Preserves your bone and gum health in ways that other restorations cannot
- It keeps the surrounding teeth stable and prevents them from shifting
- Restores your smile with a permanent implant that looks just like your normal tooth
- A permanent solution that you don’t need to take out
Understanding the Dental Implant Procedure
First, we have to make sure that you’re a good candidate for dental implants. We need to perform a thorough exam of your oral hygiene, bone structure and gum health. If we find that an implant is a good option to restore your smile, we can then move on to the procedure:
- Your gums will be cut open and the implant body will be placed into your jawbone. The implant will go in place of your tooth’s root, and it will require quite some time to heal properly.
- Once the jawbone heals and the base becomes solid, we will have you back into the office to place the abutment.
- Place the abutment, which will require around two weeks to heal.
- Attach the artificial tooth.
Once your implant is complete, you simply need to follow a proper dental hygiene routine and come in for dental cleanings.
Invisalign
Sometimes, a tooth gap is simply caused by your teeth shifting and not from missing a tooth. Invisalign is an option instead of braces, which will help close the gap between your teeth to help you smile brighter than ever before.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign takes the place of traditional braces. Instead, you’ll use a clear, removable aligner to straighten your teeth over time. Once straightened, the gap between your teeth will close.
Benefits of Invisalign
- It doesn’t include wires or brackets like braces
- Aligners can be removed
- It has a clear design, so no one realizes you have an aligner in your mouth
Understanding the Invisalign Procedure
Invisalign requires you to come into our office, where we’ll perform a complete dental exam on you. If we find that your oral hygiene is good and that you’re a good candidate for Invisalign, we’ll then make a set of aligners that you’ll need to wear all day and night, except for when you need to:
- Eat
- Floss
- Brush
Every two weeks, you’ll need to use a different set of aligners that will ensure that your teeth are slowly moving back to a normal position. Each aligner is slightly tighter than the last one. We’ll have you back in our office every 3 months or so to verify that the aligners are working to realign your teeth.
Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are another popular option for anyone who has a gap between their front teeth. A veneer is a “shell” that dentists use to close gaps in your teeth, hide discoloration and cracks and allow you to have the perfect smile that you’ve always desired.
What are Veneers?
A veneer is a thin shell, designed to look just like your natural teeth, that can be placed on the exterior of your tooth. Porcelain veneers are made from porcelain and can conceal the gap between your teeth.
Benefits of Veneers
- They feel and look natural
- Veneers require very little maintenance
- Instantly restore your smile
- Cover up tooth discoloration and cracks, and can close gaps
- Higher affordability when compared to other treatment alternatives
Understanding How Veneers Work
Veneers are a common treatment for cosmetic dentistry, and it involves us:
- Removing a small amount of your tooth’s enamel
- Creating impressions of your teeth to make the veneer
- Matching the shade of the veneer to your natural teeth
- Sending the impressions and shade information to the lab
- Applying a temporary veneer to your tooth
- Receiving the veneer from the lab
- Bonding the final veneer to your tooth
If the veneer requires any further adjustments, we can complete these during a future visit.
Are you suffering from a gap between your front teeth? Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with us. We’ll be happy to schedule an exam and discuss the best restoration options for your teeth.
