Fully closing in the gap between two incisors by placing crowns.
This page’s digital makeovers illustrate how “tooth gaps” can be filled in by placing dental crowns.
Case issues and concerns:
When you first look at this smile, you probably most notice:
The irregular biting edges of the teeth. (This type of damage is often due to a tooth grinding habit. In fact, the wear shown here is characteristic for that.)
The relatively large tooth gap between the upper central incisors. (Dentists refer to this type of space as a “diastema.”)
Other than that, these teeth look pretty nice.
Their coloration is reasonable and the gum tissue gives the impression of being healthy.
There is some minor crowding of the lower teeth but, as you will read below, that appearance can be improved upon fairly easily.
Closing a diastema is elective dentistry.
We might also add that a diastema, even one as large as this one, is a non-issue when it comes to dental health. Choosing to close have one closed in is simply a decision based on cosmetic appearance.
“Before” photo submitted by website visitor.
Treatment solutions:
1) Crowns for the upper teeth. –
Placing dental crowns would be one way of both closing this person’s diastema and straightening out the biting edges of their upper center teeth.
In regard to closing in the tooth gap, the idea is that the dental crowns for the two teeth framing this space are made wider, so when they are placed the gap is filled in. At times, this type of approach can result in teeth that look oversized but, as our “after” picture shows, with this case the results seem wide but reasonable.
In our “after” picture you can see just a little bit of space remaining right at the gum line. It could be filled in too but doing so would make it harder to remove dental plaque from between these teeth. The dentist and patient together would have to decide if that tradeoff is worth the added risk.
2) An alternative approach. –
It could be possible to get the same cosmetic end result by placing porcelain veneers or else tooth bonding. For the most part, this choice would be based on how much restoration strength is needed.
If the notching of the biting edges of the teeth has been caused by tooth wear (which we assume it has), then dental crowns would make the best choice. Crowns are the strongest and most lasting type of dental restoration. The possible alternatives would be comparatively more prone to breakage and wear.
3) Improving the look of the other teeth. –
Our “after” picture simulates how the minor irregularities of the biting edges of the remaining teeth could be corrected by placing white fillings (dental bonding). Additionally, if the patient felt that the minor spacing between the lower teeth was offensive, it could be closed in by placing bonding too.