Can I Keep my Gap if I Get Veneers?

I have always had a slight gap between my front teeth (see photo). The gap was much wider when I was a kid, but it closed some when I had my frenulum clipped. I want to get veneers to make my front teeth look more uniform and to cover some permanent staining, but I don't like the idea of losing my little gap.

Is it possible to get veneers and keep the gap? And even if it is possible, would a dentist even be willing to do "less than perfect" veneers?

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12 Doctor Answers | Asked by kiddothekid in Omaha, NE

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YES!! I love this question. They're YOUR teeth

I get this request more often than you would think. Many times people with gaps (called diastemas) come in for veneers. They might want to just close it slightly or actually must make it a little bit more symmetric and parallel. I actually enjoy doing this type of work because it breaks the monotony of everyone wanting the "perfect" smile.

Veneers will allow you to keep your gap

Yes, definitely. Before having the treatment you should discuss this with your dentist. Usually, the dentist will make a wax-ups after this discussion. These are models of your teeth with wax veneers on the front 4 teeth. This will allow you to see how the veneers will look and you can comment on the shape, size and position of the veneers as well as the size of the gap. The veneers can then be made to the same profile as the wax-ups if you are happy with their shape and the gap.... more

Keep the gap!

The beauty of veneers is that the patient can be in the drivers seat with regard to the aesthetic outcome of their smile! Spacing is natual and can be beautiful! In some cases space between the teeth is necessary to maintain proper proportions of teeeth.

Keeping your gap is a personal decision

There are people who find the small gap in between their front teeth is attractive and gives them character. Look at Lauren Hutton! It is possible to design a beautiful veneer case and keep that small diastema. It's all up to the patient.

Gap between Veneers

Yes you can keep the gap between your front teeth. The veneers can be made any width you choose (within reason). So if you want to keep the gap, just let your dentist know so that they can plan the case properly and let the laboratory know how to fabricate the veneers.

Yes keep your gap

Yes, Make sure you have a good communication with your dentist and explain exactly what you want. They can always do wax ups of your teeth so you can decide on how much gap you want. It is definitely a personal preference.

Veneers are not "one size fits all"

One of the beautiful things about porcelain veneers is that they can be made to look any way that you want. There is a lot of room for customizing colour, shape, length, straightness, etc. They can look as natural or "un"natural as you want. I remember a number of years ago, I had a patient who requested porcelain veneers to close a gap between his front teeth. He had a job in the public eye and did not like the appearance of his teeth on TV. The day we... more

Keep your uniqueness.

Yes, you can have veneers and keep the slight gap between your front teeth. Keep your uniqueness. Not everyone should look the same. Smile design is based on your facial from and structure along with your desired results.

With cosmetic dentistry, you're the boss

Absolutely – cosmetics is determined between the patient and the dentist. If you feel comfortable with your look but you want to enhance it, your dentist should work with you to build you the smile you want.

You can keep your gap, or have whatever you want with veneers!

A case like your is really fun to do for a cosmetic dentist. The vast majority of our patients want just the opposite. A request like yours, to keep your diastema and make less than perfect looking veneers allows us to really challenge our creativity.

Smile design should include YOU

We try to always get input from each patient on how they want their teeth to look. It is YOUR smile, so it is YOUR goals that matter. Some people really like their gap or other imperfections, and I really enjoy doing something different. Some people like their gaps, some don't want teeth very white at all. These tend to be the more fun cases, as they show that smile design is NOT cookie cutter. You want it, you got it!