When you think about what makes up your smile, you probably think of the teeth, the gums, and your lips. But the appearance of your smile depends as much on what’s not there as what is. Spaces between your teeth create negative space, dark voids that are in sharp contrast to your teeth, and can actually draw the eye more than your teeth themselves. And when people are paying attention to dark spaces in your smile, they can also get a negative impression of your smile, thinking it is unattractive or unhealthy.
But negative space doesn’t have to keep you and others from enjoying your smile. Cosmetic dentistry has solutions that can make your smile positive again.
Black Triangles
Black triangles are probably the most common type of negative space people complain about. Perhaps a third of all adults in the US complain about the appearance of black triangles around their teeth.
These may be caused by receding gums due to gum disease or by the shape of your teeth, which are much wider at the crown than at the root.
One of the best ways to treat black triangles today is using the BioClear matrix. This approach allows us to use flowable composite resin to reshape your teeth. It’s quick, gives great results, and is less expensive than porcelain veneers.
Chipped Tooth
A chipped tooth doesn’t just affect the shape of that tooth, it can create a black hole in your smile. But that hole can easily be filled using dental bonding, or if you’re looking for a more attractive and more permanent solution, consider porcelain veneers or a porcelain dental crown, depending on the nature of the damage to your tooth.
Tooth Gaps
Actual PatientBefore and After
Black triangles may be more common, but tooth gaps are probably the largest negative space that can appear in the middle of your smile. Whether it’s two teeth spaced apart or an actual missing tooth, gaps in your smile can make you very self-conscious. The good news is that we can treat tooth gaps in many ways.
Porcelain veneers and dental bonding are great for treating gaps where your space is too far apart, though orthodontics such as Sure Smile Aligners might be a better choice depending on the size of your teeth and whether you have other complaints about crooked teeth.
If you have an actual missing tooth, we have many ways to help with that. There’s no need to wear a partial denture: you can get teeth replaced with dental implants or with a dental bridge.
Open Bite
An open bite is when your teeth don’t come together properly, leaving a space between the upper and lower teeth, usually right in the middle of your smile. This can create a large region of negative space that needs orthodontics to successfully treat.
Eliminate the Negative Space in Your Mouth
If negative space in your smile is getting you down, cosmetic dentistry can help. We offer a wide variety of cosmetic solutions to address negative space in your smile. To learn which approach is best for you, please call (760) 832-7915 for an appointment with a Rancho Mirage cosmetic dentist at Country Club Dentistry today.
