What Is the Best Way to Fix a Tooth Gap?
Tooth gaps can be of various sizes and can cause functional problems when chewing and eating, leading to teeth chipping or breaking, jaw pain, and headaches. If you want to know the best way to get rid of gaps, read on to find out about the three most popular cosmetic dental treatments to get straight, evenly spaced teeth.
Three Ways to Fix a Tooth Gap
- Composite bonding
- Veneers
- Braces or Invisalign
What Is Composite Bonding?
Composite bonding uses a colour-matched composite material attached to your teeth and moulded into shape to fill the gap. Out of all the options to fix a tooth gap, composite bonding is the quickest and can be completed in one dental appointment. It is also very safe as the teeth generally do not need to be prepared, and tooth enamel is not removed.
Although composite bonding to close a tooth gap is fast and effective, there are a few drawbacks. The material can stain, which means it may not match the colour of your natural teeth after a while. This will also depend on what you eat and drink; with care and regular brushing and flossing, composite bonding can look good for many years. However, it will only last around five to seven years before it needs to be replaced. It’s also easier to break or chip composite bonding compared to porcelain veneers.
What Are Veneers?
Veneers can be made from porcelain and cover the front surface of your teeth to change their shape and colour. They can be used to close a tooth gap and make your teeth straight. The use of veneers has been talked about a lot recently, with numerous celebrities going to Turkey to have cosmetic dentistry. Unfortunately, in most cases, when people have been told they are getting veneers in Turkey, they have actually been given crowns.
For cosmetic dentists in the UK, it’s a simple decision when it comes to crowns vs veneers. A good cosmetic dentist will always want to preserve as much of your natural teeth as possible and would only ever use crowns if the tooth was significantly damaged. This is because crowns require teeth to be drilled down and, if not done correctly, can cause a lifetime of problems..
Veneers, unlike crowns, only require minimal removal of enamel, and as they are purely cosmetic, they only need to cover the front of the tooth. On the other hand, crowns cover the entire tooth, which protects the tooth structure if it is weak after a root canal or severely damaged in an accident. If you have a tooth gap, veneers may be a great solution; they don’t stain and can last around 15 years.
Once you have veneers, you will need to replace them after around 15 years. If you don’t, they are likely to become loose and fall off, exposing your tooth, which is no longer protected by enamel and will stain and can be easily broken.
Which Is Better, Braces or Invisalign?
For more severe tooth gaps, composite bonding or veneers may not be the best option. If you have always been put off by metal braces and never really considered straightening your teeth, Invisalign provides an alternative. Made from clear plastic, Invisalign aligners are hardly noticeable and are far more comfortable than metal braces. You can also remove them when you eat, which means there are no foods you have to avoid. At our cosmetic dentist in Bournemouth, we think Invisalign is the best possible option to permanently close a tooth gap and leave you with healthy, straight teeth.
Of course, Invisalign treatment has some drawbacks. You have to wear your aligners for 22 hours a day, and treatment can take up to three years, depending on the size of your tooth gap and bite alignment.
Your cosmetic dentist should be able to advise you on the most appropriate solution to meet your smile goals. At Smile Stories Bournemouth, we offer a free smile makeover plan so that you can find out the best way to fix your tooth gap.
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AUTHOR
Dr Gareth Edwards BDS (Hons) MFDS RCPS (Glasg) qualified from dental school with honours. Working in the Bournemouth & Poole area, he has a particular interest in orthodontics and is a certified Invisalign provider.
