How to Reduce & Fix Gaps in Teeth

Article by Dr. Leaver & Dr. Gardner

When you are ready to start your orthodontic care you may want an exact answer on how long it might take. The biggest problem is that no two people are the same and neither are the teeth in their mouth. Each individual needs to be looked at and evaluated. The orthodontist can give an estimate on how long the process will take but that is just an estimate and it could easily change. Once we get into moving the actual teeth, we might find that there are more changes that need to be done. We may also have to do more adjustments than originally thought to fix a bite or a particular tooth. This can also go the other direction and the teeth may line up easier than they thought. This also means you might be the lucky one that gets them off sooner than you thought! One area of concern is always gaps that need to be closed. Some are easily closed while others can be extremely difficult.

LEAVER & GARDNER LISTS REASONS SOME GAPS ARE HARD TO CLOSE WITH BRACES

Size & Shape of Teeth: One of the main issues that the orthodontist comes across when trying to close a gap is the size and the shape of the teeth. After braces, the teeth should come together closely and leave just enough space so that dental floss can clean the area. You don’t want to close the gap but still have a space only at the top or the bottom. You want them to close evenly and the size or shape can hinder the process. The tooth may need to be reshaped or changed so that it can fit the space. This can be done by shaving a small portion to even it out or adding some porcelain to the tooth to fill the gap. There are some gaps that need to be addressed and can require a larger amount of dental work to accomplish the final desired result.
Surrounding Tissue Or Ligaments Are Too Large: If the tooth is the right shape and size but the gap still will not close properly there could be another problem. The issue could come from the tissue that is in between the two teeth. If there is excess tissue, you may need to have it removed by the dentist so that the teeth can align properly. Another problem can be because of the ligament that extend from the gums. The ligament can be too large and if that is the case you may require a crown to be placed on the tooth. The last issue that you could have because of the surrounding tissues is from tongue posturing. This is when the tongue is pushing against the teeth causing them to space out. This will require the orthodontist to do their work as well as some therapy to relearn how to hold your tongue in your mouth.
Spacing Caused by Bite: Another can simply be due to the position of the bite. The bite needs to align so that each tooth lands in a particular place. When there is a tooth that lands in the arch of another tooth it can cause those two teeth to start to spread. The orthodontist may need to adjust the bite to separate the cause of the separation. Leaver & Gardner Orthodontists offers orthodontic care to help close hard to deal gaps and align teeth and bites.