Can I Fix Gapped Teeth Without Braces?

Braces and invisible aligners are great for more than just cosmetic changes to your smile, but they can be costly. For significant issues, they take years to pull everything into place. If you don’t absolutely need braces for changes to your bite, it’s understandable to want to avoid them.

Thankfully, if you have small cosmetic issues that don’t require braces, you have other options to fix gaps between your teeth.

Dental Bonds are a One-Day Fix for Small Tooth Gaps

Dental bonding, shaping, and contouring is a fast, painless process. During the procedure, a dentist will apply resin to the tooth or teeth that need repairs and sculpt it into the desired shape. This resin will have been carefully selected to match the shade of your teeth. Then, your dentist will cure and harden the resin with a UV light. This may take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour per tooth.

Often, your dentist will remove a thin layer of enamel before applying the resin. This is called an enameloplasty. It should be painless and won’t have any long-term effects on your teeth.

What Else Can Dental Bonds Do for My Smile?

This versatile treatment is good for more than just spacing issues. Dental bonds are recommended for minor cosmetic issues like:

●     Chips

●     A misshapen tooth

●     A discolored tooth

Teeth whitening is often a more cost-effective option for people who need color correction; however, if you have deep stains or genetic defects that affect the natural color of your teeth, dental bonds may be a better long-term option.

Some Gaps Are Too Big for Dental Bonds to Fix

It may be hard to tell what kind of gap is small enough to fix with dental bonding. If you’re confused about the best option for your smile, your dentist can assess whether you need more correction than cosmetic bonding.

That being said, the best candidates for dental bonds include those with only one gap between their two front teeth. Gap sizes should be limited to 0.5mm or less. Anything bigger might require braces or Invisalign.

Other Requirements for Dental Bonding Candidates

Unfortunately, dental bonds aren’t the best option for every candidate looking for a quick smile makeover. You need healthy teeth and gums if you’re looking into dental bonds. To be a good candidate, you usually shouldn’t:

●     Have serious gum recession

●     Have extensive bone loss or tooth decay

●     Engage in habits that put you at higher risk of gum disease, such as smoking

●     Eat or drink a lot of staining substances, such as tea and coffee

●     Chew ice, bite your nails, or otherwise be hard on their teeth

Your dentist can help you overcome the majority of issues that may prevent you from receiving a smile makeover. However, your best shot may not be with dental bonding. Talk to your dentist about what other options are available given your health history.

Choose Lakewood Dental Studio for Your Cosmetic Dentist

We want to help you reach your smile goals in whatever way we can. If that means that we help you tackle gingivitis, yellowing, and tooth decay first, we can do that. However, for Lakewood cosmetic dentistry that adapts to your needs, choose Lakewood Dental Studio.

To schedule an appointment, call 214-609-1694.