There is an old saying that a smile is worth a thousand words. A smile is something genuinely amazing because one simple smile can have a ripple effect far greater than you ever imagined. If you’re not confident in your smile because of gaps and you feel self-conscious about smiling, then you might find yourself missing out on some amazing moments in life.
You might have thought, “will braces fix my gap?” but you haven’t ever taken the plunge because you feel like you will just deal with it, and you don’t need to spend the money on it.
While every smile is beautiful, it’s important you feel good about yours. You should be able to confidently wear a smile with any outfit you choose. While it might be an expense, your smile and confidence are worth every penny.
Are you ready to change your smile and change your life? Read on to see how gaps happen in the first place, and if braces will be the fix for you.
Four Reasons Why Gaps Happen
Diastema, also known as a gap between teeth, usually happens between the two front teeth. Any teeth can have spaces between them, so read on to find out why gaps occur.
Mismatch Size Between Jaw Bone and Teeth
If there is a size difference between the jaw bone and teeth, then gaps can happen. This mismatch can cause either overcrowding if people have large teeth, or gaps if people have smaller teeth.
It is fairly common for people to have lateral incisors that are too small, and this leaves a lot of space between the front teeth and the next tooth. Your teeth will move around with all this space leaving you with gaps.
Missing Teeth
Missing teeth is an obvious reason for why there would be gaps between teeth. The missing teeth give more room for other teeth to move around, which can cause other gaps as well.
Oversized Labial Frenum
The labial frenum is the thin piece of skin that attaches to your top lip to the top of your front teeth. (You just check to see if you had one, didn’t you?)
Sometimes the labial frenum is too big, and it connects much lower than the front teeth. If this happens, it blocks the space where your front teeth should go.
Habits
There are at least two habits that cause teeth gaps. Thumb sucking and swallowing incorrectly.
Thumb sucking
Thumb-sucking pulls the teeth forward overtime. This is a slow process, but it can lead to gaps, little by little.
Swallowing incorrectly
When you swallow, your tongue should press up against the roof of your mouth. Some people press their tongue against their teeth instead. Similar to thumb sucking, this process over time will push the teeth forward and can create gaps.
Tooth gaps can be frustrating, but is there anything you can do to prevent gapping in the first place? Read on to find out, and to find solutions for your gap.
Can I Prevent Tooth Gaps?
In most cases, it is difficult to prevent tooth gaps since tooth gaps can be caused by teeth that are too small. However, if a habit causes the gap, you can retrain yourself and break this habit to prevent further gapping.
Overall, there isn’t much you can do to prevent tooth gaps, which can cause frustration when you aren’t happy with your smile. You might feel like you have been doing everything right as far as taking care of your teeth and gum health and visiting the dentist for your regular cleanings, but you still aren’t happy with your smile.
Fret a little, but not too much because there are easy solutions that can get you the smile you want and deserve.
Will Braces Fix My Gap?
To save you the suspense and finally answer the question, will braces fix my gap, yes, braces can fix your gap. It’s more than just a simple yes, so let’s dig deeper into why you might want to fix your tooth gap and how braces will help.
Why Fix My Tooth Gap?
If habits cause your gap, then over time, your teeth might become loose and even painful when chewing or biting. In this case, you will want your gap fixed.
How Braces Work
Hundreds of different components go into braces. Each person needs something a little different. Some people have fairly straight forward corrections while others need more aggressive work done. Regardless of what work you need to have done, you can have straight, gap-free teeth. All the pieces that go into braces and orthodontics all have the same purpose - applying pressure to change the shape of your bone.
As the pressure is applied continuously over time, your teeth will move. Your orthodontist will be able to guide your teeth and bite, so over time, your gap will become smaller and smaller until it’s finally gone. Braces can be a slow process, but since your bone is changing shape and form, you don’t want it to be done quickly.
How Long Will I Have To Wear Braces?
For people wearing braces, it can seem like forever. It adds one extra step to your mouth care routine, and it limits some of your favorite foods like caramel apples and popcorn. In general, most people need to wear braces for about 18 months to two years. If there is more work that needs to be done, it will take longer. Movement is a slow and steady process and not something that should be rushed. In the end, what is a year or two compared to the rest of your life? The question you should be asking yourself isn’t, “will braces fix my gap?” it’s, “am I ready for the smile of my dreams?”
At Smiles for Life, it is our goal to give you the best smile possible. Give us a call today to see if braces are the right choice for you.
