A few years ago, I started thinking carefully about what I could do to improve my smile. I had lived with crooked, yellowed teeth for most of my adult life, and honestly, I just wanted to feel beautiful. I started thinking about working with a cosmetic dentist, and before I knew it, I was in an office getting a complimentary consultation. I learned about a variety of different procedures that could improve my look, and it was really fun. I wanted to create a blog all about making smiles more beautiful, which is why I made this website. Check out this blog for great information about dentistry.
Gaps can form around teeth due to improper eruption or the shifting of neighboring teeth over time. When gaps form around a canine tooth, the gap can be particularly noticeable due to the forward placement and prominence of the tooth. Closing the gaps can improve the appearance of your smile and improve your bite while chewing.
There are a few different ways to fix a gap around a canine teeth that range from orthodontics to a visit to a cosmetic dentistry specialist.
Orthodontics
An orthodontist can use braces to shift the neighboring teeth back closer to the canine tooth, which would close the gaps. Depending on your age and other alignment issues your dentist could recommend either traditional metal braces or clear braces.
Clear braces can be removed while eating for more comfortable chewing. The braces are also less noticeable to others, which can be important for adults in a professional setting. You will need to keep all of your orthodontic appointments on time as you will need to be fitted for new brace trays throughout your treatment. The new trays allow your orthodontist to custom tailor the treatment to your current progression.
Composite Bonding
Orthodontics might not be an option due to the size of the space or other dental issues at play. Or you could simply prefer not to have braces at your age. Other options exist at the cosmetic dentist's office. One of those options is composite bonding.
For bonding, your dentist uses a moldable composite resin to build a new tooth shape directly on the surface of the tooth. Once the shape is correct, your dentist will use a special light to harden the resin in place.
Bonding might be the right option if your gap isn't substantial and your existing teeth are already a bit large. Bonding requires the natural tooth to be shaved down some first so that the composite resin can bond properly to its surface. If your teeth are already small and the size is contributing to the gap issue, bonding might not be the best choice.
Porcelain Veneers
Porcelain veneers can potentially correct larger gaps than bonds and/or gaps caused by teeth that are undersized. Veneers are porcelain shells that are created from molds of your teeth then affixed to the fronts to change or widen the shape. Your teeth will still need to be sanded slightly for the bonding agents but nowhere near as much as bonding requires.
Discuss your gap treatment options with your dentist to see which method or methods will best work to treat your particular situation.
To learn more, contact a dentist like Kyle J Frisinger DMD.
Share13 November 2015
