A space between teeth, clinically known as a diastema, is a common occurrence that can affect anyone. While often noticeable between the two upper front teeth, these gaps can appear anywhere in the mouth. Various factors contribute to diastema formation, ranging from inherited characteristics and developmental aspects to certain oral habits and underlying dental or oral health conditions.
Genetic and Developmental Factors
The size relationship between an individual’s jaw and teeth can naturally create spaces. If the jawbone is proportionately larger than the teeth, excess space can exist, leading to gaps. This disproportionate size often has a genetic basis, inherited from parents.
Tooth gaps can arise from the absence of certain teeth, a condition known as hypodontia. If permanent teeth do not develop or erupt, surrounding teeth may drift into the empty space. Similarly, teeth that are smaller than average, called microdontia, can result in spacing. “Peg laterals,” where upper side incisors are unusually small, are a common example.
Another developmental factor involves the labial frenum, the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum above the two front teeth. If this frenum is unusually large or attaches too low, it can physically prevent the front teeth from coming together, creating a persistent gap.
Oral Habits
Certain oral habits, especially when prolonged, can exert consistent pressure on teeth, gradually causing them to shift and create gaps. Thumb sucking or extended pacifier use, particularly beyond early childhood, can push the front teeth forward.
Tongue thrusting is another habit contributing to gap formation. This occurs when the tongue pushes against the front teeth during swallowing instead of resting against the roof of the mouth. The repetitive outward pressure can slowly move teeth apart, widening existing gaps.
Chronic habits like lip biting or nail biting can also contribute to dental spacing. The repeated pressure from these actions can subtly push teeth out of their natural alignment, potentially creating new gaps or enlarging existing ones.
Dental and Oral Health Conditions
Various conditions within the mouth can lead to the development or worsening of tooth gaps. Periodontal disease, commonly known as gum disease, involves inflammation and the breakdown of bone and tissues supporting the teeth. As the disease progresses, teeth can become loose, shift, and create spaces.
The loss of an adult tooth, whether due to decay, injury, or extraction, can result in new gaps. When a tooth is removed, adjacent teeth may drift or tilt into the empty space, creating new gaps elsewhere in the dental arch.
Supernumerary teeth, which are extra teeth beyond the normal count, can cause spacing issues. A mesiodens, an extra tooth between the two upper front teeth, is a common example. This additional tooth can block normal eruption or push existing teeth apart, leading to a gap. An unerupted or impacted tooth can also exert pressure on neighboring teeth, causing them to spread apart and form gaps.