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Brightwater
Currimundi

Gaps between teeth are not uncommon, but they can be unsightly and embarrassing. The good news is that there are many ways to close gaps in your teeth and make them look better! In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most popular methods for closing gaps between teeth.

There are a few common reasons why gaps exist between teeth:

  • New teeth – protrude from the gum line, and as they grow the gums recede. This can cause gaps between teeth that are often those most likely to be misaligned (like your front two). You can do a number of things to fill these gaps: use braces (over time) or take non-invasive alternative measures like
  • Small teeth – make it difficult to close gaps between teeth.
  • Low fraenum – gaps in one’s teeth may be the result of a long labial fraenum, where skin from the lip attaches below and wedges the teeth apart.
  • Thumb sucking – can contribute to gaps in between your teeth, which is why this habit should be avoided.
  • Tongue thrusting – can fill in gaps between teeth.
  • Gum disease – begins when the gums start to pull away from teeth leaving small spaces.
  • Missing teeth – a gap caused by lost teeth during childhood is also important to fill, as it can affect the alignment of surrounding teeth or cause difficulties with eating or speech.
  • Faulty tooth alignment – the upper teeth do not meet up with the lower teeth. This can happen when your baby or permanent teeth are not aligned correctly, which is known as malocclusion. Teeth may also shift during development if you have a habit of chewing hard objects such as ice cubes and pens.

Solutions for gaps in teeth

To address space between your teeth, your dentist will discuss the treatments they offer for filling gaps or bringing the teeth closer together. They will also recommend treatments to improve oral health such as gum disease treatment that may have caused the gaps in the first place.

Space between teeth often decreases as a child gets older. While gaps in baby teeth will close or become less visible after they’ve been replaced by adult teeth; larger spaces in permanent teeth will usually remain and worsen over time.

Depending on the cause for gaps between teeth, treatment options can include:

How to prevent gaps in your teeth

Depending on your habits and other factors, you may not be able to close gaps between teeth. This article discusses how some of these gaps can be prevented by changing your habits or wearing a sports mouthguard.

Regular brushing and flossing, a healthy diet and regular dental check-ups can help to prevent gum disease and other problems in children. Your child’s dentist may offer advice about preventing thumb sucking or tongue thrusting.

If you have issues with gaps in your teeth, book a consultation with Bright Smiles Dentistry at Brightwater or Currimundi. Our friendly staff can advise the right outcome to give you back your smile.