Will a gap between my tooth and my gum ever close? (Photo)

Question

Will my orthodontist be able to file my teeth so they can all be straight ?

Brad Lockhart, DDS · Answer

This is a great cosmetic question. Sometimes the solution eludes some patients and practitioners alike because the solutions can overlap dental specialties. For your specific situation, the best solution is to alter the shape of your adjacent teeth (where the black triangle is located). The black triangle is the result of your teeth being slightly triangular in shape and thus forming a small area of contact between the two teeth. If the teeth are made slightly more rectangular in shape the contact area will become broader and the teeth can be brought closer together. This will allow the gum tissue to completely fill the smaller space between the two teeth. Taking the braces off at this point and "hoping that better hygiene" will allow the gum tissue to fill the space is wishful thinking at best. Better hygiene will do nothing more than potentially shrink gum tissue, not increase its volume. Given your current situation (still wearing braces) I would slightly alter the shape of the two adjacent teeth and then bring the teeth closer together until the gums completely fill the black triangle (gum void). If you weren't currently wearing braces, the best solution would probably be a bonding procedure to alter the shape of the teeth and fill the gum void.Good luck!

Natwarlal Tibrewal, BDS · Answer

Hi, the photo is good to understand your query. The orthodontist can straighten them without filing any teeth. To close the gap between teeth and gums, they sometimes need to file the teeth. But if you keep the teeth very clean, the gums can fill the spaces themselves once the teeth are straight. Hope it helps.

Will a gap between my tooth and my gum ever close? (Photo)

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Will a gap between my tooth and my gum ever close? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.