Having gaps in your teeth is a common occurrence for many people, and although there are minimal negative effects of gapped teeth, it can be frustrating and lower your self-confidence. If you’re considering correcting the gap in your teeth, speak to a dentist about your options. Our dental professionals are exploring how high-quality veneers can solve these problems.
What Causes Gaps in Teeth?
Most of the time, our dentists treat gaps between the front teeth as those tend to be the most noticeable. A gap between the teeth can occur anywhere in the mouth and it can be caused by a range of things, including:
- Missing teeth that have made other teeth spread apart
- The teeth are too small in proportion to the jaw
- Sucking your thumb as a child
- Pushing your tongue against your teeth when you swallow
What are Porcelain Veneers and How Do They Close Gaps?
Porcelain veneers are extremely thin shells that are placed on the front surface of the teeth to improve their shape, size, colour and appearance. High-quality, custom veneers can be used to close wider gaps in the teeth, especially if the front teeth are uneven.
Unlike crowns, porcelain veneers don’t require much preparation of the tooth or to remove the natural tooth structure. They are simply used to cover stains, chips and misaligned teeth in a simple and effective way. Porcelain veneers last between four and twelve years, depending on how well you look after them, making them a great permanent fixture for closing gaps.
The Process of Using Veneers to Close Tooth Gaps
The first step is to head to your dentist in West Auckland, Titirangi Dental. We will ensure your natural teeth are strong enough to support the veneers before beginning the process. First, we remove a thin layer of enamel from your teeth to ensure the new veneers fit perfectly with your smile line. We will give you a temporary veneer to wear while you wait for the custom-made one to arrive.
The custom-made veneers are colour matched with your existing teeth and given the same naturally translucency. They are then fixed to your teeth with a special bonding agent.
What Happens If Your Tooth Gap Is Too Big?
If the gaps in your teeth are too large to be fixed with porcelain veneers, our dentists may recommend starting an Invisalign treatment to straighten and realign your teeth. Invisalign is a fast, permanent and effective method of straightening your teeth that is almost invisible.
Book a Consultation with Titirangi Dental in West Auckland
To find out your best options at our dental clinic in West Auckland, contact our professional team. We will help you choose the right treatment path for your oral needs. Call us on 09 817 6057 or contact us online.
