Teeth spacing

What is teeth spacing?

Teeth spacing is a condition in which the anterior (front) teeth are separated by large gaps. It is a common occurrence in children, and is often caused by thumb sucking or tongue thrusting. Crowding is the lack of space for all the teeth to fit normally within the jaws. The teeth may be twisted or displaced. Crowding occurs when there is disharmony in the tooth to jaw size relationship or when the teeth are larger than the available space. Crowding can be caused by improper eruption of teeth and early or late loss of primary teeth.

Well-aligned teeth look good, increase the person’s self-confidence, are easier to clean and maintain for the long term, and also ensure the best chance for the bite to work as smoothly as possible. Well aligned teeth and bites have the best chance of remaining straight for the long term. Retainers can be recommended to help the teeth stay straight.

Causes

Teeth spacing can be caused by:

Thumb sucking and tongue thrusting in childhood.
Microdontia, or the occurrence of small-sized teeth.
Some children are born missing teeth, which might result in tooth spacing, or greater interdental spacing.
Physiological predispositions.

Treatment

Gaps leave your teeth unprotected and can leave you more vulnerable to gum disease. Spaces may affect the function of the teeth. Teeth spacing can be a cosmetic issue as well as a functional one.

Toothpic’s online dentists can give recommendations about how you can reduce the gaps between teeth. Spaces can be closed by moving the teeth together and properly aligning them within the arch. However, treatment for tooth spacing is highly individual, and depends on the root cause of the gaps.