Gap Between Teeth (Diastema): Causes and Ways to Close It
This page is general information and does not replace an examination.
A gap between teeth (diastema) is most common between the two upper front teeth[1]. In children it is usually part of normal development and often closes when the permanent teeth come in[1][2]. In adults the usual causes are tooth size, missing teeth, a large frenum or gum disease[1]; a new or widening gap can be a sign of gum disease and should be checked[1][4]. At Ulubey Dental Clinic in Antalya, gaps are closed with braces or Invisalign, tooth-coloured bonding, veneers (composite €120, E.max €250 per tooth) or, for a missing tooth, a bridge or implant.
What is a gap between teeth?
Diastema is the clinical term for a gap between teeth. It can occur anywhere in the mouth but is most common between the two front teeth[1]. A gap on its own does not often harm oral health; the exception is a gap caused by infection, such as gum disease[1].
So for most people a gap is a question of appearance and personal choice. Many people like their gap and keep it. The dental question is simply whether the gap is stable and the gums are healthy.
Gaps in children
Gaps are more common in children, and they may close once all the permanent teeth have come in[1]. A review of the midline diastema describes it as usually part of normal development while baby and adult teeth are mixed, and notes that tooth movement to close it is usually deferred until the permanent canines have erupted, except in some cases with very large gaps[2].
The same review found that an enlarged lip frenum, long blamed for most persistent gaps, explains only a small proportion of them; habits, muscle imbalance, the shape of the upper arch and tooth anomalies also play a role[2]. Children are seen at our clinic from about 5–6 years; see our children’s dentist in Antalya page.
Causes of gaps in adults
Cleveland Clinic lists these causes[1]:
- Genes: many people are prone to gaps because of inherited traits.
- Missing teeth or teeth that are too small for the jaw.
- An oversized frenum, the band of tissue between the upper lip and the gum.
- Habits: regular clenching or an abnormal swallowing pattern.
- Advanced gum disease, which can make teeth move apart.
A systematic review on the upper lip frenum concluded that a large frenum plays a role in the midline gap, and that orthodontists tend to suggest removing it after the gap has been closed[3]. Our frenectomy page explains that procedure.
A new or widening gap: when to worry
A gap you have had since your teens is rarely a concern. A gap that is new or getting wider in an adult is different. Gum disease can destroy the bone that holds the teeth, and teeth can then drift, fan out or move down. A review of this “pathologic tooth migration” called it a common complication of moderate to severe periodontitis, reported in 30.03% to 55.8% of patients with gum disease, and often the reason they first seek treatment[4].
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| A gap you have had for years, gums healthy | Routine check; treatment only if you want the gap closed |
| A new gap, or a gap getting wider | See a dentist; gum disease is one possible cause[1][4] |
| Gums that bleed when you brush, or bad breath[7] | See a dentist[7] |
| Teeth becoming loose, or very sore and swollen gums[7] | Ask for an urgent dental appointment[7] |
Urgency levels follow the NHS gum disease page [7]. This table does not diagnose; a dentist decides after an examination.
When gum disease is the cause, it is treated first; closing the gap before the gums are stable does not last. In early stages, migrated teeth sometimes move back on their own after gum treatment[4]. Severe cases often need gum, orthodontic and restorative treatment together[4].
Black triangles between teeth
A “black triangle” is a dark space near the gum between two teeth, where the gum (the papilla) does not fill the space below the contact point. A classic study of 288 sites measured the distance from the contact point between the teeth down to the bone. When it was 5 mm or less, the papilla was present almost 100% of the time; at 6 mm, 56% of the time; at 7 mm or more, 27% of the time or less[5].
That explains the two main causes: bone and gum loss, for example after gum disease, and the shape and position of the teeth. In a study of 337 adults after orthodontic treatment, 38% had open spaces of this kind; they were associated with a bone-to-contact distance greater than 5.5 mm, contacts placed high towards the biting edge, divergent roots, and triangular crown shapes[6].
Closing a black triangle therefore means bringing the contact point closer to the bone or changing the tooth shape near the gum. Depending on the bone level, which an X-ray shows first, a dentist explains whether tooth-coloured bonding, veneers or crowns, or moving the teeth with orthodontics, is realistic in your case; we do not reshape healthy enamel for this.
Ways to close a gap
Cleveland Clinic lists dental bonding, porcelain veneers, braces, frenectomy, a dental bridge and a dental implant, and, where gum disease is the cause, scaling and root planing and gum flap surgery[1].
| Option | How it closes the gap | At our clinic |
|---|---|---|
| Braces or Invisalign | Moves the teeth together | Fixed braces or Invisalign; quoted in writing after the examination |
| Tooth-coloured bonding | Composite resin added to the sides of the teeth; in many cases little or no healthy tooth is removed | Yes; see composite bonding; quoted in writing |
| Composite veneer | A layer of composite over the front of the tooth | €120 per tooth |
| E.max or zirconia veneer | A thin ceramic shell that changes the width and shape of the tooth | E.max €250 · zirconia €185 per tooth |
| Frenectomy | Removes or releases a large frenum, usually together with orthodontic closure | €150, with a scalpel |
| Bridge or implant | Replaces a missing tooth that left the gap | Bridge €185 per zirconia unit; implant from €300 plus a €185 zirconia crown |
| Gum treatment | Treats gum disease that made the teeth drift | Deep cleaning €80; flap surgery €250 per quadrant |
Options: Cleveland Clinic [1]. Prices: Ulubey Dental Clinic, October 2026.
- No fee: the consultation and the panoramic X-ray.
- Veneers: digital smile design preview, temporaries during the visit and a custom night guard are included.
- Orthodontics and bonding: priced individually in your written quote.
Prices are indicative; your final written quote follows the examination and X-rays and is valid for 30 days. Unless the treatment plan changes, the written price does not change.
Veneers have a 5-year guarantee against fracture or debonding (E.max and zirconia veneers), excluding trauma and grinding without a night guard, conditional on attending recommended check-ups; see our written dental guarantee. All fees are on our dental treatment prices page.
Which option suits which gap?
- One small gap, healthy teeth: tooth-coloured bonding is usually the least invasive way, because little or no healthy tooth is removed.
- Several gaps, or teeth that also need straightening: braces or Invisalign move the teeth themselves, without adding material.
- Gaps plus other changes you want (colour, shape, worn edges): veneers can address all of these, but ceramic veneers usually involve some preparation of the teeth; our veneers page explains the trade-offs.
- A large frenum: often a combination of orthodontic closure and frenectomy[3].
- A missing tooth: a bridge or an implant; see dental implant vs bridge.
- Gum disease: gum treatment first, then decide.
How we treat gaps at our clinic
Both of our dentists, Dr. Ali Cem Ulubey and Dr. Surur Ulubey, examine and treat their own patients; there are no rotating dentists. For gaps:
- Cause first: panoramic X-ray and gum check for every patient, so a gap caused by gum disease is not simply covered up.
- Orthodontics: fixed braces and Invisalign only.
- No cosmetic reshaping of healthy enamel: we do not grind down healthy enamel for shape; a chipped edge is polished or repaired with a small composite.
- Digital preview: for veneers, a digital smile design preview shows the planned result before treatment; shade is measured with a VITA Easyshade spectrophotometer.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gap between the front teeth normal?
In children, yes: a gap between the upper front teeth is usually part of normal development and often closes when the permanent teeth, especially the canines, come in. In adults it is common and rarely harmful in itself. A gap that is new or getting wider in an adult should be checked, because gum disease can make teeth drift apart.
What causes a gap between teeth?
Cleveland Clinic lists inherited traits, missing teeth, teeth that are small for the jaw, a large frenum (the band between lip and gum), habits such as clenching or an abnormal swallowing pattern, and advanced gum disease. Often more than one factor is involved. An examination with an X-ray shows which applies to you.
How can a gap between teeth be closed?
The main options are braces or clear aligners, tooth-coloured bonding, veneers, and, if the gap is from a missing tooth, a bridge or implant. A frenectomy is sometimes added when a large frenum is involved. If gum disease caused the gap, it is treated first. At our clinic orthodontics means fixed braces or Invisalign.
How much does it cost to close a gap in Antalya?
It depends on the method. At Ulubey Dental Clinic a composite veneer is €120 per tooth, an E.max veneer €250 and a zirconia veneer €185; a frenectomy is €150. Braces, Invisalign and bonding are quoted individually in writing. The consultation and panoramic X-ray carry no fee, and your written quote is valid for 30 days.
What are black triangles between teeth?
They are dark spaces near the gum where the gum does not fill the area below the contact point between two teeth. They are linked to bone and gum loss and to tooth shape. One study found the gum filled the space almost always when the contact point was 5 mm or less from the bone, but only 56% of the time at 6 mm.
Do I need to close a gap between my teeth?
Usually not for health reasons. Cleveland Clinic notes that a gap rarely harms oral health on its own; the exception is a gap caused by infection such as gum disease, which needs treatment. Otherwise closing a gap is a personal choice about appearance. A dentist can check that the gap is stable and the gums are healthy before you decide.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. Diastema (last updated 3 March 2026; accessed 26 October 2026). my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23477-diastema
- Huang WJ, Creath CJ. The midline diastema: a review of its etiology and treatment. Pediatr Dent. 1995;17(3):171-179. PMID 7617490. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7617490
- Delli K, Livas C, Sculean A, Katsaros C, Bornstein MM. Facts and myths regarding the maxillary midline frenum and its treatment: a systematic review of the literature. Quintessence Int. 2013;44(2):177-187. PMID 23444184. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23444184
- Brunsvold MA. Pathologic tooth migration. J Periodontol. 2005;76(6):859-866. PMID 15948679. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15948679
- Tarnow DP, Magner AW, Fletcher P. The effect of the distance from the contact point to the crest of bone on the presence or absence of the interproximal dental papilla. J Periodontol. 1992;63(12):995-996. PMID 1474471. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1474471
- Kurth JR, Kokich VG. Open gingival embrasures after orthodontic treatment in adults: prevalence and etiology. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2001;120(2):116-123. PMID 11500652. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11500652
- NHS. Gum disease (page last reviewed 20 April 2026; accessed 26 October 2026). www.nhs.uk/conditions/gum-disease
This page is general information and does not replace an examination.
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