What causes gaps between teeth
A gap, or diastema, is simply a space where teeth do not sit snugly against each other, most famously between the two upper front teeth. Gaps are common and often perfectly healthy, and plenty of people wear them happily their whole lives. When someone would rather close a gap, the first job is to understand why it is there, because that decides both how it is treated and how it is kept closed afterwards. The size of a gap matters as much as its cause: a single small space between two teeth is a very different job from spacing spread the whole way round.
The usual reasons are naturally small teeth in a roomier jaw, a prominent band of gum tissue between the front teeth, teeth that are missing or smaller than average, or long-standing childhood habits such as thumb sucking and tongue thrusting that push the teeth apart. More than one of these can be at play at once, which is why a proper look matters before any treatment starts.
Closing a gap, and keeping it closed
Most gaps close comfortably with braces or clear aligners, and because there is space to move into, spacing is often quicker to treat than crowding. Where a gap involves a missing or unusually small tooth, Dr. Catherine McLeod coordinates with your family dentist so the full answer, which might include a crown, bonding or an implant, fits together as one plan rather than two disconnected ones. Because there is room for the teeth to move into, closing a gap is often one of the gentler, more comfortable corrections.
The part that is easy to overlook is holding the result. Teeth have a long memory, and a closed gap will try to reopen if nothing keeps it shut, so a retainer is planned from the outset, not tacked on at the end. Worn as prescribed, it is what turns a closed gap into a closed gap for good.
What to expect at Embrace Orthodontics
Everything begins with a free consultation, no referral needed. As a specialist orthodontist on Spring Garden Road in Halifax, Dr. Catherine McLeod looks at what is causing your spacing, takes a comfortable iTero digital scan rather than putty impressions, and gives you a written plan with an exact, all-in quote. Because a single front gap is usually a smaller job, this is often one of the more affordable and faster corrections, and interest-free monthly plans are there if you would like to spread the cost.
Most of all, you will get an honest opinion. If your gap needs very little, she will say so, and if closing it would be worth doing, she will walk you through exactly what it involves before you commit to anything. There is no waitlist, so a consultation is usually only a week or two away, and every plan is drawn up by Dr. Catherine McLeod, a specialist orthodontist rather than a general dentist.