If your child has a gap between their front teeth (diastema), you may be wondering what’s causing the issue, and if a frenectomy from Dr. Michelle Neves is the right way to treat their gap. Will your little one need a frenectomy to correct their gapped front teeth? The short answer is “sometimes!” For the long answer, get all the details in this blog post from Sasco Pediatric Dentistry.
First, it’s important to understand that about half of all kids below the age of six will have a diastema (gap between their front teeth). This is because there are only 20 baby (primary) teeth, and these are smaller than their adult teeth. As their jaws and mouth grow, a gap may grow between your child’s front baby teeth. But once their baby teeth start to fall out and their larger, more numerous adult teeth emerge, this gap will usually close itself.
This may not always happen, though. If your child has a lip tie, the overdeveloped labial frenulum may put more tension on their gums and cause a larger-than-normal gap. If your child has an especially large gap between their front teeth at an early age, it may be caused by a lip tie.
If your child is below the age of 5-6 and does not yet have their adult teeth, a labial frenectomy may be enough to close the gap in their smile. When a labial frenectomy is done before their adult teeth grow in, this eliminates the tension that causes the gap in their teeth.
Then, as their adult teeth begin to emerge, they will come out in the proper place and maintain proper spacing, eliminating the gap in your little one’s smile. For more information and to see if a frenectomy is right for your little one, we recommend scheduling a consultation with a pediatric dentist in Fairfield, CT, such as Dr. Michelle.
If your child has already lost their front baby teeth and has a gap between their front adult teeth, it may not be possible to reverse this gap with a frenectomy alone. A labial frenectomy will still usually be recommended.
However, it will usually be necessary to use an orthodontic treatment like braces to reposition your child’s adult teeth and move them into the proper location. Along with a frenectomy, this closes the gap in their teeth. After treatment, your little one will have a bright smile and a healthy mouth.
If your child has a gap in their smile, this isn’t always something you need to be concerned about. But in some cases, they may have lip ties that require treatment with a labial frenectomy. The best way to tell what’s right for your child is to schedule a consultation at Sasco Pediatric Dentistry.
As an experienced pediatric dentist in Fairfield, CT, Dr. Sasco can provide your child with the care they need to maintain a healthy smile as they grow. We're always accepting new patients, so don’t wait. Contact us online or call today at (203) 307-2430 to schedule your child’s first consultation with Dr. Michelle.
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