A gap between your two central teeth, called a diastema, is a controversial smile feature. Sometimes, people find them very attractive. Socially, smile gaps sometimes come into style. Then people think their smile gap is attractive and gives their smile character and personality. Other times, though, people think the gap in their smile makes it look unhealthy and unattractive. This may relate to a person’s perception of negative space. Having a gap between teeth is almost like missing a tooth, and it can make people self-conscious in the same way.
If you are in this latter camp, and are unhappy with the appearance of a gap in your smile, Country Club Dentistry in Rancho Mirage can help. In fact, we have two good ways to close a gap in your smile with just one visit. BioClear and CEREC veneers both let us close gaps in your smile quickly.
BioClear: Bonding That Goes with the Flow
Dental bonding has long been a fast way to close a gap in the middle of your smile. BioClear is a better approach, one that we sometimes call a composite veneer. It retains the benefits of traditional bonding, but overcomes its limitations.
In the traditional dental bonding procedure, your cosmetic dentist will take a composite that has the texture of putty and shape it onto your teeth. When hardened and polished, this composite looks like natural tooth material, so that the procedure reshapes your natural teeth to close the gap between them.
Although Traditional bonding results may initially look and feel good, problems with this “Patch-like” procedure start to surface over a short period of time, such as small voids and staining.
BioClear, however, is a new innovative procedure that doesn’t develop these problems. Without drilling down your teeth Dr. Strober uses an additive technique with warm composite resin and anatomically shaped Matrixes to create seamless, stain-free, composite veneers that maintain their texture and shine for 10 + years.
CEREC Veneers: Crafted While You Wait
Another option for closing your smile gap is porcelain dental veneers. Porcelain veneers can reshape your teeth by giving them a new front, which can be wider than the old front, closing the gap between teeth.
Veneers have the advantage that they’re not made of traditional porcelain–they’re made of an advanced ceramic that combines beauty and strength. The ceramic looks very much like natural tooth enamel: it matches not just the color, but the luster and translucency of enamel. In addition, porcelain veneers can give long-lasting results. Veneers typically last a decade or more.
In the past, traditional veneers took multiple visits to create. In one visit, your cosmetic dentist would prepare your teeth to receive your veneers. Then they would take an impression of your prepared teeth, which they sent to the dental laboratory. You wore temporary veneers while you waited. The lab then created your veneers, sending them back to your dentist. Your dentist fitted the veneers to your teeth. This process took days to weeks.
CEREC veneers get around this limitation of traditional veneers. Instead of sending your impressions to a lab, cosmetic dentist Dr. Strober designs your veneers in a computer program and sends them to a computer-controlled mill at his office. This mill crafts your veneers while you wait. These veneers can be made of the same high-quality ceramics as lab veneers. They look as attractive and last as long, they are simply made faster.
Choosing the Right Way to Close the Gap
Obviously, these are two great approaches to closing the gap in your smile. So how can you choose between the two options?
Choose BioClear if you:
- Are looking for less expensive options
- Want the option of reversing the treatment
BioClear is the less expensive of these two options for closing the gap in your smile. In addition, BioClear doesn’t alter your natural teeth, other than a light acid wash to help the bonding attach to your teeth. If you later decide you want to remove the bonding and have your smile gap back, we can do that, and with a little polishing your smile will look as it always has. People like the comfort of this option, especially when they haven’t had cosmetic dentistry before. However, many people choose to upgrade to veneers when bonding fails.
Choose CEREC veneers if you:
- Are looking for the most attractive option
- Want long-lasting results
Although BioClear does a better job of mimicking tooth enamel than traditional bonding, veneers still look more natural. The same is true for longevity. BioClear lasts longer than traditional bonding, but veneers still last longer, and CEREC veneers last as long as lab-made veneers (if not longer).
Close Your Smile Gap in Rancho Mirage
If you’re unhappy with the appearance of a smile gap, you don’t have to live with it anymore. You have options to correct the appearance of your smile with just one treatment visit. To talk to experienced cosmetic dentist Dr. Rod Strober about your options, please call (760) 832-7915 or use our online form today to request an appointment.
