Caring for an Elderly Parent With Special Dental Needs
Tooth Gap? 3 Ways You Can Get Rid Of It Without Getting Braces
Joe Lawrence
A diastema, a gap between two teeth, commonly occurs between the two front teeth where it is easily noticed by all. While many people embrace their gap and even love the look of it, others do not. If you are one of the latter and want to get rid of the space between your teeth, you have several options. One of the more common options involves getting braces, or another type of orthodontic application, in an effort to pull the teeth together and straighten them over time. However, this is a long process and the payoff is not immediate, which makes it a less desirable option for some. Fortunately, there are ways you can get rid of a gap without getting braces.
Tooth Bonding
Tooth bonding is one of the quickest and easiest ways to close a gap between teeth. Bonding involves making the two front teeth larger or wider across to fill the gap. Dentists use a tooth-colored resin that's perfectly matched to the color of your existing teeth to fill in the space. It takes about an hour to do and costs anywhere from $300 to $800 per tooth. Cosmetic dentists may also choose to apply dental veneers over the two front teeth, but this is a more expensive option.
Frenectomy
A frenectomy is often recommended if your gap is caused by a large labial frenulum, which is the tissue that is attached to your upper lip and the center of your upper gums. An over-sized labial frenulum will not allow your two front teeth to grow close together, and it will make it difficult for you to achieve the results you desire with traditional methods, such as braces. A frenectomy removes the tissue so that other techniques for closing the gap can be more successful. If you are young enough when you get one, the procedure may even correct the problem so that further action is not necessary.
Dental Implants
If you have a very large gap and/or missing teeth, you may also be able to get a bridge or some sort of dental implant. These options offer an immediate solution for gapped teeth and are as cosmetically pleasing as any other solution if not more so.
If you don't like the gap between your teeth, you don't have to live with it. You don't have to spend years in braces either. There are several solutions that might be right for you. To learn more about your options, talk to your cosmetic dentist.
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Caring for an elderly parent tends to be tough enough without the added stress of dealing with dental implants or dentures. But, the prospect is not the end of the world—there are many things you can do to ensure that your parent's dental health is not compromised without having to spend a lot of personal time doing the care yourself. Between working with the right dentist, hiring a service provider for part time work, and giving your parent the tools he or she needs to care for his or her own dental health at home, you'll find that dental health for your loved one isn't so tough or time consuming after all. Hopefully you are able to get the support and information you need right here.