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1200 Village Creek Drive #102 Plano, TX 75093

Treatment for Gaps in Teeth Plano TX

Gaps in teeth are more commonly seen in children, as many adults receive treatment as children to close their gaps. Gaps may result from either natural or behavioral causes. Plano cosmetic dentist Dr. Mark Sowell and cosmetic prosthodontist Dr. Chen offer treatments for adults who wish to close gaps in their smiles.

As a child, you may develop gaps between your teeth as you grow. Your jaw gets bigger while your baby teeth remain the same size. These gaps change once your baby teeth start to fall out and their larger permanent teeth move in to fill the spaces.

Gaps in adult teeth are diastemas. Diastemas often appear between the two upper front teeth, though they can occur between any two teeth. Diastemas are normal and, like gaps found in children, may result from a mismatch between jaw bone size and teeth size.

If you are concerned about a gap in your teeth or have any questions, come in for a cosmetic consultation with Plano cosmetic dentist Dr. Mark Sowell or Dr. Sara Chen, and they will be able to determine what has caused the gaps and how best to close your gaps.

Why Do Spaces Form Between Teeth?

Other than normal sizing issues, there are three other reasons why gaps may form:

  • Tumor growths – A gap can signify a serious medical or dental condition. We may need to treat tumor growth surgically.
  • Gum disease – Gum disease, which results in a loss of bone that supports the teeth, may be prevented by regular brushing and flossing. However, if a gap is forming due to gum disease, call our office as soon as possible.
  • Self-inflicted behavior – These gaps occur when people push their tongue against their front teeth when swallowing or because of “mouth jewelry.” This pushes teeth forward and makes small gaps bigger.

How We Fix Spaces Between Teeth

If you have a gap or a small one that is getting bigger and are unhappy, Dr. Sowell and Dr. Chen offer cosmetic and restorative dental procedures that can close the gap.

Tooth Bonding– Dental bonding can be a solution if the space between teeth is relatively small. Tooth Bonding involves directly applying a tooth-colored resin and sculpting it into the desired shape for a natural result. We can complete treatment in just one visit, and it is very affordable.

Dental Veneers – Fixing bigger gaps may require reshaping using porcelain veneers. Teeth veneers are custom-made in a dental lab. They are ultra-thin, shell-like coverings for your teeth that will look and feel like natural teeth. The medical-grade material offers advanced treatment to meet your cosmetic needs and durable results that will resist stains.

Invisalign®/ClearCorrect™ clear aligners – Invisalign and ClearCorrect use a series of clear, plastic retainer-like devices to realign the positioning of teeth, closing the gap gradually. Wear them for at least 22 hours every day. Each set of aligners is worn for about two weeks before moving on to the next set.