The gap between the teeth is a headache for many people. Someone suffers from complexes and is embarrassed to smile, while someone is sincerely convinced that she gives individual charm. Be that as it may, diastema, as dentists say, is not just a cosmetic defect. In the presence of gaps, the teeth are subjected to greater stress, which eventually destroys their stability and provokes the development of periodontal disease.
How do gaps occur?
There are many reasons for the appearance of diastema. The most common are:
- hereditary predisposition;
- late change of milk teeth;
- complications when replacing dairy with permanent;
- abnormal development of incisors;
- low-set upper lip;
- psychosomatic causes, for example, the habit of biting pencils or nails;
- lack of teeth, as a result of which the existing ones are spreading.
Diastema can occur at any age. If in adolescents and children it is usually caused by a change of teeth, their growth, genetic characteristics, then in adults it is gum disease, tooth extraction and psychosomatics.
What are dangerous?
Firstly, gaps, as people say, especially between the front teeth, spoil the smile. Many people react quite sharply to such a defect in their own appearance, which inevitably leads to the emergence and development of complexes, psychological problems, difficulties in communication and, in some cases, even depression.
Secondly, diastema leads to diseases of the oral cavity:
- caries;
- periodontitis;
- enamel destruction.
Thirdly, the gaps between the teeth can provoke violations in the structure of the bite, deformation of the jaws and incorrect diction.
What can a dentist do?
There are a lot of different ways to eliminate gaps, but only a doctor can choose the most suitable method in a particular case when examining a patient. In doing so, the doctor proceeds from the following factors:
- the cause of the diastema;
- width and number of slots;
- general condition of teeth and gums;
- the wishes of the patient.
The dental office may offer one of the options for the treatment of gaps:
- cosmetic correction;
- restoration;
- surgical plastic;
- orthodontic intervention;
- surgical correction of the frenulum.
Cosmetic correction.
This is the easiest and cheapest way. The dentist installs a tightening filling, the gap between the teeth disappears.
However, there are downsides – good gum health is required, a small diastema width and, the biggest disadvantage of this method is fragility.
Restoration.
A rather troublesome and expensive way to get rid of a gap in the mouth. Elimination of the defect occurs due to the growth of tooth tissue. The procedure uses a composite material selected by the doctor to match the patient’s enamel. Usually, this process fits into one visit. The treatment itself is carried out under anesthesia.
There are practically no drawbacks to the method, but you will first need to treat your teeth and gums.
Surgical plastic.
A time-tested method that optimally combines cost and quality of the result. The dentist will cover the teeth with crowns. This method is the most durable, solves many problems, except for the diastema, and has no disadvantages.
Also, the doctor may recommend the use of veneers and lumineers, that is, masking devices that can be removed and put on by yourself. Usually, specialists resort to them with an unsatisfactory condition of the gums.
Removable dentures. Although it is generally accepted that “teeth living in a glass” is for the elderly, but sometimes this is the most optimal way to close the teeth gaps.
Orthodontic intervention.
This is braces. The method is the safest and most harmless to the oral cavity. It is used in pediatric and adolescent dentistry. It is most effective when teeth are growing.
For adults, this method is practically useless and inconvenient. In addition to the aesthetic moment, wearing braces implies the duration of this process, which is not always possible for an adult.
However, modern dentistry solves these shortcomings with the help of invisible braces and orthodontic mouth guards, that is, transparent covers worn over the incisors that can be removed when necessary, for example, to eat or drink a cup of coffee.
The orthodontic method of eliminating the diastema in adults is used for developing malocclusion and a number of other jaw pathologies.
The price of this service is relatively low, but good dentists resort to orthodontics for adults only for certain indications, while for children and adolescents this is the only method approved by doctors to eliminate gaps between teeth.
Surgical correction of the frenulum.
This is a simple undercut, that is, shortening, of the frenulum in the upper lip. It is used if its fit or dimensions have caused a gap. After the operation, after some time, the teeth themselves shrink.
Is it possible to remove the gap between the teeth at home?
It’s practically impossible. “Home methods” usually refers to the use of orthodontic interventions, since the patient does not go to the dentist more often than usual and wears braces on a daily basis. That is, a visit to a specialist cannot be avoided, at least two visits to the orthodontist are necessary.
What can not be done to eliminate the diastema?
In no case should you try to move your teeth yourself. Options of “craftsmen”, such as tightening the front teeth with threads, not only will not give any result, but can lead to damage to the dental tissue, the basal region and the gum itself.
If food gets into the cuts in the oral cavity formed by the thread, severe inflammation is guaranteed to begin. The use of such barbaric methods in the end still ends with a visit to the dental office, but at a higher cost and for much more significant reasons than a simple gap between the teeth.
Do you need to get rid of?
Of course, yes, because over time, the diastema will inevitably expand, leading to much more serious problems than itself. In addition to aesthetic nuances and consequences due to diseases of the oral cavity, a harmless, at first glance, gap can provoke a fan-shaped turn of the teeth, their “floating” in the gums and, accordingly, loss.
Folk remedies for the treatment of diastema
Folk remedies include rinses and compresses for gums from various herbal and vegetable preparations. Especially popular are infusions in which there are:
- Oak bark;
- calendula officinalis;
- chamomile.
The doctor in the dental office will usually recommend some kind of herbal mouthwash.
With prolonged use, herbal …
