Can I Keep my Gap if I Get Veneers?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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. 

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.

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!

Yes, you can. Some times it’s even better to keep the gap with veneers – it gives your smile a very natural appearance.