Diastemas are interdental spaces that are usually in the two upper central incisors, although they can occur in other teeth (but this is less common). It usually occurs when the jawbone is larger than the teeth, which is why it usually originates in childhood and when the milk teeth fall out. The diastemas tend to disappear with the definitive dentition and to join together.
Although they have recently become fashionable, and there have even been cases in which they were provoked on purpose, as a general rule it is advisable to close them and, above all, never create them on purpose when they do not occur naturally. In any case, from the Spanish Society of Orthodontics we advise that an orthodontic specialist is the one who decides the suitability of closing the diastema by checking the state of the bite and how this dental separation affects the rest of the mouth.
If you decide to keep the diastema, we advise you to take care of your oral hygiene and visit your dentist regularly to make sure that no problems have appeared.
Is it essential to close a diastema?
Although it always depends on the case, as a general rule, it is advisable to close diastemas, as they can cause major problems if not corrected by orthodontic treatment.
There are many reasons why a diastema can occur: teeth that have fanned out as a result of periodontal disease, cases in which the frenulum has a low insertion (in such cases it is usually advisable to perform a frenectomy).
Some patients choose to keep it for aesthetic reasons, as they find the childlike appearance it confers attractive. However, at SEDO we would like to remind you that orthodontics goes far beyond aesthetics, and that, above all, health must prevail. A bad occlusion can have consequences on general health as diverse as impairing digestion, hindering chewing, causing back, jaw and neck pain, etc.
The orthodontist will decide what is most appropriate for the patient to achieve good interproximal contact and perfect occlusion, and in most cases it is necessary to close the diastema space.
Treatments to correct a diastema
To close a diastema there are more and more treatment alternatives, orthodontics with brackets (whether conventional, aesthetic or lingual), transparent aligners… it will be the orthodontic specialist who decides which treatments are most appropriate in each case.
The time needed to correct a diastema will also depend on the specific case, because it is not usually an isolated problem within the dentition. Therefore, depending on the state of the occlusion and the position of the rest of the dentition, the case will be simpler or more complex, which will influence the duration of orthodontic treatment.
Orthodontic treatments in Palma de Mallorca
Each case has a recommended treatment according to the results of the study we do on the problem to be corrected. Contact Tomas Sastre – Ziving to request a FIRST ORTHODONTIC REVIEW IN PALMA DE MALLORCA.
