What Causes Gapped Teeth, and How to Correct This Problem?
Do you have gaps between your teeth? Are you comfortable with it? Some people like to keep it that way, while others don’t enjoy the look and avoid smiling freely. If you are one of those in the latter tribe, quite possibly, the idea of getting rid of it may have occurred to your mind on multiple occasions. You may wonder if this indicates any dental challenge. Luckily, there are many solutions, and the choice depends on the cause behind the gap in your teeth. Before deciding anything, let’s gain some insights on this a bit.
Causes of gaps in the teeth
The medical term for space between the teeth is diastema, which is pretty common among people. It can happen due to both internal and external factors. Some cultures look at this as a sign of good luck and beauty. But a person having such dental features may not feel happy about their smile and worry about its effect on their personality. Hence, learning what causes this issue and how to solve it is essential. Some common factors involve habits, heredity, gum disorder, poor muscle alignment, etc.
Habits
Sucking a finger or pacifier for a long time can lead to this condition, preventing teeth from growing correctly and eventually leading to gaps between the teeth. Dentists advise parents to help their kids stop this habit once they are four years or older.
Hereditary
Some people tend to have smaller teeth than their jaw size. Doctors address this condition as jaw-teeth discrepancy or microdontia, which can appear independently or due to genes. Usually, this condition doesn’t allow teeth to align or contact each other correctly, resulting in gapped teeth.
Gum ailment
Another common reason can be gum disease, which manifests through the shrinking gum line, bone loss, bleeding gums, inflamed gums, shifting or unstable teeth, etc. Gums tend to be the anchor for teeth; when they become weak, teeth health suffers. Bone loss causes them to move from their place, and eventually, they take the form of bigger oral concerns. That’s why it is essential to choose teeth straightening treatment to improve gum and oral health and ensure optimum dental hygiene.
Poor muscle health
If the mouth muscles don’t attach correctly, a person can suffer from the problem of gaps in their teeth. One example of such a condition is the frenum, a small, fleshy bump located in the center of the upper lip. The frenum helps keep the lips together and provides anchorage for the muscles that control them. The problem arises when this attachment or anchorage isn’t proper, leading to issues with teeth alignment. One can also have a gapping issue due to improper positioning of the tongue –another muscle in your mouth.
No matter what, specialists can investigate and figure out the actual reason behind your gapped teeth and provide a reliable solution. For this type of issue, people usually visit experienced cosmetic dentists. They often recommend clear aligners or Invisalign braces.
Invisalign braces
If you worry about where to go and who to approach for this treatment, check the option of Invisalign from Melville, Long Island cosmetic dentist. These transparent dental trays smoothly align your teeth into the correct position to close or adjust the gap between them. Since these are not like metal braces, you don’t have to bear the pain or discomfort. The plastic trays sit comfortably on your teeth, allowing you to perform your activities without hassle. You can remove them during your meal time and daily brushing ritual and wear them again.
Procedure
Like other treatments, your dentist will examine your oral condition to determine if you are suitable for this. They may require some snapshots and impressions of your teeth if you are eligible. Pictures will help them analyze the treatment length and the number of trays you will need to correct your dental issue. You may or may not go for the customized treatment. If you give the nod, your dentist would need two to three weeks to source the aligners.
The good thing is these are customized solutions. So you don’t have to bother about fitting. Once placed correctly, the aligners will help shift your teeth in the proper direction. However, you must follow your doctor’s instructions to ensure this method works. Generally, results are visible almost immediately. Still, teeth would need more time to adjust to their final position.
Maintenance and care
After a few weeks of wearing this, you can notice a remarkable difference in your smile. But you must wear your retainer at the scheduled time or as instructed after the treatment to continue enjoying the long-lasting effect. Retainers can be fixed or removable options. Fixed ones feature a thin metal wire at the back of your teeth to help retain the shifts facilitated by the treatment. On the other hand, removable retainers are customized solutions that firmly keep your teeth in their new location. After Invisalign braces, you may have to wear the retainer twice daily for a few months and afterward, only once at night.
Benefits of going for Invisalign treatment
One of the top reasons for opting for this type of cosmetic procedure can be its invisible appearance. You can wear them anywhere without drawing unnecessary attention from people around you and build your beautiful smile in some time without much discomfort or even pain. Where other braces require prolonged use before getting removed, the modern Invisalign braces eliminate almost all the troubles from your life—face no more struggles to clean your teeth off those food particles lodged in your teeth. The removable braces do their job efficiently, relieving the risk of plaque buildup by not letting the food particles remain stuck.
If your dental health suffers, daily activities like swallowing, chewing, and biting food can be affected, which will have repercussions on your overall well-being. Space between teeth can hit your confidence and self-esteem, causing you to smile less. Due to misaligned teeth, you can also face the issue of bacteria and plaque growth, tooth decay, and gum disease. So, it’s better to fix your gapped teeth problem early.