I have a medium sized tooth gap. My dentist is suggesting crowning both of my front teeth in order to close the gap. I’m not too keen on that idea. It’s not the money. It’s more that those teeth are healthy. I had a crown on one of my back teeth and it meant grinding down the tooth. I don’t really want to grind down teeth that don’t have a problem. Is there another option?
Ethan
Dear Ethan,
What your dentist is suggesting is a major overtreatment. I would not let him put dental crowns on healthy teeth. There are three ways of dealing with a tooth gap. Now, you said the gap is medium-sized, but I don’t know exactly how big you think medium sized is, so I’m going to give you all the options that would work no matter what the size.
A small gap can be fixed by dental bonding. It uses composite bonding, similar to what is used in white fillings, to fill in the gap.
A second option is porcelain veneers. These use thin wafers of porcelain that go over your teeth. The ones on your front teeth can be made a bit wider to make the gap look closed. Unless you are looking for a complete smile makeover, this would also be considered an overtreatment. It can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth. It’s what Hollywood celebrities use to get their perfect smiles. And you should bear in mind it is really pricey.
Both of the above options cannot be done by an average dentist. They are advanced cosmetic procedures which require extensive post-doctoral training.
A third option is to actually close the gap. I recommend Invisalign. These use clear aligners to straighten your teeth. No one will know you’re wearing them. And, if you wanted to, the aligners can double as teeth whitening trays. This allows you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time, giving you the equivalent of a mini smile makeover.
This blog is brought to you by a friendly dentist in Tulsa, Dr. Ryan Noah.