Orthodontic treatment can resolve many different issues, and gaps between teeth are one of them!
One of the most common reasons why our patients come to us for orthodontic treatment is spacing, and spacing is also often referred to as ‘gap teeth’ in layman’s terms and diastema throughout the medical industry.
Fixing gaps or spaces in between an individual’s teeth will always first and foremost entail a comprehensive smile evaluation from Dr. Karpac, which is something we’ll be sure to conduct during your initial consultation. Once we’ve completed your necessary tests and developed diagnostic records, we’ll then provide you with an accurate diagnosis that helps you better understand the underlying causes for your treatment concerns. From there, we’ll set you up with a personalized treatment strategy that helps you close your gaps as quickly as possible while simultaneously ensuring the full functionality of your bite and smile!
Below we’ll be going over the following topics so you can better understand what teeth gaps are, and what your treatment will entail:
- What exactly is diastema (spacing)?
- What causes tooth gaps?
- Can braces fix tooth gaps?
- Can Line-M-Up™ fix tooth gaps?
What Exactly Is Diastema?
Diastema is the medical term for gaps in between two or more teeth, and this type of oral health issue can present itself anywhere throughout an individual’s mouth. However, the most common type is midline diastema, which is a gap between an individual’s front teeth.
Teeth spacing can vary in terms of overall severity, and it’s important to understand that this type of orthodontic treatment isn’t solely focused on aesthetics. There are many health concerns related to diastema if it’s neglected for too long, including an increased risk of gum disease and tooth decay. Uneven wearing on certain teeth for long periods of time can also eventually cause tooth loss if not properly treated.
What Causes Tooth Gaps?
There are several common causes of tooth gaps that you should know about, including the following:
Genetics
Genetics is by far the most common cause for gaps in between an individual’s teeth, and this is directly connected to the correlation between someone’s tooth and jaw sizes (which are determined by genes). When someone’s teeth can’t quite fill in an entire arch, it’ll likely lead to a gap in the front teeth or in between several teeth.
When tooth gaps are passed down genetically, it’s unfortunately impossible to prevent.
Oral Habits
Certain oral habits like prolonged pacifier use or thumb sucking can actually end up putting an increased amount of pressure on a young child’s front teeth, which can lead to the teeth pushing apart and developing a gap.
Tissue Growth
Gum enlargement (gingival hyperplasia), refers to the scenario in which an individual is experiencing an overgrowth of gum tissue. When this overgrowth goes in between teeth, it can lead to a space. When neglected, this type of tooth gap can become worse with time.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is technically a serious infection within the oral tissues that support teeth, and the early stages of gum disease known as gingivitis are easily reversible.
But if gingivitis isn’t properly treated, it can lead to more serious forms of gum disease that can pose damage to an individual’s oral tissues and bones. This can subsequently lead to gaps as teeth become loose and start to move.
An Important Note About Baby Teeth Gaps
It’s important for parents to understand that it’s normal for young children to have spacing in between their front teeth. Our permanent teeth are always much larger than our baby teeth, so they’ll need more room as they erupt. This causes natural spacing in a young child’s mouth, so there’s nothing to worry about when your child’s baby teeth are separated from one another.
However, it’s very important for parents to consider early orthodontics for their children and come in for their first appointment when the child is around 7 years old. This is a good age for Dr. Karpac to help you better understand your child’s development, and whether or not certain gaps will close on their own.
These initial appointments are generally observational, but we’ll be sure to let you know when we think it’s the right time to initiate orthodontic treatment.
Can Braces Fix Tooth Gaps?
Absolutely! Braces can certainly fix tooth gaps, and both traditional metal and ceramic braces are great options for this type of treatment. Dr. Karpac and our team will develop a customized treatment plan ensuring that your braces are closing your gap(s) as efficiently as possible.
If you have other oral health issues along with your spacing like jaw misalignment, then we’ll be sure to provide you with rubber bands and other temporary anchorage devices (TADs). TADs do a great job at simultaneously providing the connective forces that close tooth gaps and correct a patient’s alignment.
Can Line-M-Up™ Fix Tooth Gaps?
It’s a common misconception that invisible aligners aren’t the right treatment for tooth gaps, but our patented Line-M-Up™ technology does a wonderful job at closing in gaps! Dr. Karpac is a specialist when it comes to effective invisible aligner treatment, and our team will be sure to personalize your Line-M-Up™ treatment to effectively create the ideal spacing within your mouth.
We use state-of-the-art technology like 3D digital scans so we can have a thorough understanding of a patient’s mouth and gums, and we’ll then determine the best ways to close your tooth gaps by honing in on individual tooth movements towards ideal positions.
Contact The JK Orthodontics Team Today To Learn More About How We Can Fix You Or Your Child’s Tooth Spacing!
JK Orthodontics has been an orthodontic industry leader throughout the Columbus Metro Area for over 30 years, and we’ll always be there for you and your family when you need comprehensive, affordable orthodontic treatment.
Contact us online or call us at 614-766-0330 (Dublin office) or 614-471-6355 (Gahanna office) to get in touch with us and schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Karpac today!