A diastema, or a gap between the teeth, can occur between any teeth and usually does not impact dental health negatively. However, when a patient has a gap between front teeth, the patient might be unhappy with the smile he shows others. A patient can pursue a few different treatment options to correct or eliminate this gap.

A diastema has many causes. It can be caused by teeth that are too small in proportion to the jaw bone, allowing space to be created. It can also be caused by missing teeth or severely undersized teeth that allow the adjacent teeth to spread out and leave open spaces between the other teeth. Usually, this is the cause of a gap between front teeth. Another cause is a labial frenum that is oversized. This little piece of tissue is normally located from just inside the upper lip to area above the two front teeth. When the tissue does not stop there and grows past into the area between the two front teeth, a space is created.

Patients who suck their thumbs can also have a diastema, since this habit often pulls the front teeth forward, creating a gap between them. People with tongue thrust, who push their tongue forward against their teeth when they swallow, can also end up with a gap. Even gum disease can cause spaces to open up between the teeth. Because gum disease loosens the teeth and causes supporting bone loss, patients suffering from this might find that space between the teeth opens up as a result of the movement of the teeth.

Children can also have spaces between the teeth. For most children, a diastema is a temporary condition that happens as they lose their milk teeth and wait for their permanent teeth to grow out into the right positions.

A gap between front teeth can be treated cosmetically or orthodontically. When the diastema is part of bigger set of dental issues of teeth misalignment, the patient can wear braces to correct all the issues. Even if the braces are used to focus on correcting the gap, the patient will most likely wear braces on both upper and lower teeth, since the alignment of all the teeth will change with the movement of some teeth.

Frenectomy, which is a surgery to remove excess labial frenum tissue, can be used if that is the cause of the space between the front teeth. When the culprit of the problem is gum disease, this must be treated first. Once dental health is achieved, other treatments, which can include braces, splints attaching one tooth to another and bridges, can be used to close the extra space.

Cosmetic treatment to close the gap includes dental veneers applied to the teeth, resulting in a more aesthetically appealing smile. Veneers can be porcelain or ceramic veneers, which involve removing part of the tooth enamel before bonding the veneer to the tooth. Patients can also choose commercial no-prep veneers that do not require the removal of the tooth’s enamel and are quickly bonded to the front surface of the teeth.