Diastema: Why There's a Gap Between Your Front Teeth (and When It Matters)
A diastema is a gap between two teeth, most often the two upper front teeth, and most of them are perfectly harmless. If you have had yours since your adult teeth came in, it is part of how your mouth is built, not a problem that needs fixing.
Let me explain what causes a gap, when a child's gap closes by itself, what closing one involves, and the one kind of gap I never want a patient to wait on.
The short version
• A diastema is a space between two teeth that would normally touch. Between the upper front teeth it is a midline diastema.
• The usual causes are a low frenum, teeth that are small for the jaw, or a narrow tooth beside the front tooth. None of these is a disease.
• In children a gap is normal and usually closes once the adult eye teeth come in, around age 11 or 12.
• A gap that is new in an adult is different. It can be a sign of gum disease, so have it checked soon.
Written by Dr. Gloria Jung, DDS, BSc, at Dentudio Dentists in Richmond. Reviewed on 2 October 2026 against Government of Canada, American Dental Association and MedlinePlus guidance and two published studies, listed at the end of this post.
What causes a gap between your front teeth?
Usually one of four things, and telling them apart is what decides whether anything needs doing at all.
A low frenum. The frenum (the band of tissue joining the inside of your upper lip to your gum) attaches low and reaches down between the two front teeth, holding them apart.
Teeth that are small for the jaw. There is more jaw than tooth, so the spare room shows up as spaces, often several small ones rather than one big gap.
A narrow or missing side tooth. When the tooth beside the front tooth (the lateral incisor) is small or never formed, the space collects in the middle. This one matters for planning, because closing the middle gap on its own can leave a smile looking lopsided.
Gum disease. When the bone holding a tooth is lost, the tooth can drift and fan outwards, and a gap opens where there was none before.
The first three are how a mouth is built. The fourth is the one to check.
The first three are simply anatomy. A low frenum is the easiest to spot yourself: lift your upper lip in a mirror and look for a band of tissue running down to the gum between your front teeth.
What a low frenum looks like, and how we check for it.
Is a gap between your front teeth a problem?
Usually, no. A gap you have had since your adult teeth came in does not weaken the teeth beside it, and closing it is a choice about how you want your smile to look, not about your health. If you like your gap, keep it. I mean that.
There is one exception, and it is the reason I wanted to write this post.
A gap that is new in an adult is a different matter. Teeth that start to move in adulthood have often lost some of the bone that holds them in place.
Gum disease (periodontitis) breaks down the gum and bone around the teeth, usually slowly and without pain, so a tooth drifting can be the first thing you notice. The American Dental Association lists adult teeth that are loose or separating among its warning signs of gum disease. If a space has opened between teeth that used to touch, or a front tooth has started to fan forwards, please don't wait for your next check-up. Gum disease caught early is a much smaller job than gum disease caught late.
Has a gap opened up that was not there before?
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Will my child's gap close on its own?
Usually, yes. A gap between a child's upper front teeth is a normal stage, sometimes called the ugly duckling stage. The adult eye teeth (canines) are still sitting high in the bone, pressing on the roots of the front teeth and fanning them apart. When the upper canines come in, typically between ages 11 and 12 according to MedlinePlus, the front teeth tend to drift together on their own.
The numbers bear this out. In a study of 917 schoolchildren in Taiwan, 64.6 percent of six-year-olds had a midline diastema, against 14.3 percent of twelve-year-olds. A large US national survey found the same pattern: gaps of 2 mm or more in 19 percent of children aged 8 to 11, 6 percent of teenagers aged 12 to 17, and 5 percent of adults aged 18 to 50.
So for a seven-year-old with a gap, what I recommend is usually to wait and look again once the canines are through. The authors of that Taiwanese study reached the same conclusion: hold off on orthodontic treatment until the canines have erupted. If the gap is still there after that, that is the right time to talk about closing it.
What are the ways to close a gap between teeth?
Four, plus the option of leaving it alone. There is no single right answer. They differ mainly in how much healthy tooth you give up and how easily the decision can be undone later.
The same comparison is written out in the table below.
Option | What it involves, and the catch |
Leave it alone | Nothing to do. Fine if the gap is not new |
Composite bonding | Resin added to the teeth, usually in one visit. Can chip or stain |
Invisalign or braces | Teeth moved over months, no enamel removed. Needs a retainer |
Frenectomy | Releases a low frenum, often alongside braces. Only helps if the frenum is a cause |
Veneers | Porcelain facings, two or more visits. Usually means shaving healthy enamel for good |
For a small gap, composite bonding is usually the least invasive choice, because it adds to the tooth instead of taking away from it. Traditional veneers ask the most, although some no-prep veneers need little or no shaving, so ask which kind you are being offered. Whatever you choose, ask what keeps the gap closed afterwards. Teeth that have been moved will drift back towards where they started unless a retainer holds them.
"But Dr. Jung, I have seen people close a gap with little elastic bands from the internet. Can't I just do that?" Please don't. The American Association of Orthodontists warns that these bands can slide up under the gum, where they damage the bone around the roots and can cost you the very teeth you were trying to straighten.
Does the CDCP or insurance cover closing a gap?
Usually not, when the reason is appearance. Closing a gap for looks counts as cosmetic treatment, and cosmetic treatment generally falls outside the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Veneers, porcelain or composite, are on the CDCP's list of exclusions. Our guide to what the CDCP covers walks through the rest.
Private plans vary, and some contribute towards bonding. One distinction matters here: when a gap comes from gum disease, treating the gum disease is not cosmetic. Cleaning under the gumline and non-surgical gum disease treatment are both on the CDCP's covered list, and our front desk can check your coverage before anything is booked.
Want a straight answer about your gap, and what your plan covers?
Seeing a dentist about a gap in Richmond
An exam, with an x-ray if it is needed, tells us which of the four causes you have and, for a new gap, whether the bone underneath is healthy. A few practical things people ask:
We are open seven days a week, 9am to 5pm, so a weekend visit is easy to fit in.
The three main options are done here. Bonding, porcelain veneers and Invisalign are all done at Dentudio, so if you do want the gap closed, choosing between them does not turn into a referral somewhere else.
Our hygienists are what patients write about. We have 573 Google reviews averaging 4.9, and more than 100 of them mention our hygiene team, which is where gum care starts.
We speak your language. I speak English, Korean and Mandarin, and our team serves patients in Chinese and Korean.
We are at 145-5555 Gilbert Road, at Gilbert and Lansdowne, three blocks from Lansdowne Canada Line station, with free parking.
Frequently asked questions
What is a diastema?
A diastema is a gap between two teeth that would normally touch. It is most common between the two upper front teeth, where it is called a midline diastema. Common causes are a low frenum, teeth that are small for the jaw, or a narrow tooth beside the front tooth. Most are harmless. A gap that appears for the first time in an adult should be checked for gum disease.
Is a diastema bad for your teeth?
Usually not. A gap you have had since your adult teeth came in is a difference in spacing, not a disease, and it does not weaken the teeth beside it. What matters is why it is there. If the gap is new, a tooth feels loose, or food packs in and the gum stays sore, see a dentist, because these can be signs of gum disease.
Will a gap between my child's front teeth close on its own?
Often, yes. A gap between a child's upper front teeth is a normal stage while the adult teeth come in, and it commonly closes once the upper canines erupt, typically between ages 11 and 12. In one study, 64.6 percent of six-year-olds had a midline gap, against 14.3 percent of twelve-year-olds. Treatment usually waits until the canines are through.
What is the least invasive way to close a gap between teeth?
Composite bonding, in most cases. Tooth-coloured resin is added to the sides of the two teeth to narrow the space, usually in one visit and without removing healthy enamel, so it can be redone or reversed later. Invisalign or braces also leave the enamel alone, but they take months and need a retainer. Traditional veneers usually mean shaving healthy enamel first.
Can a gap between teeth come back after treatment?
Yes, if the teeth were moved rather than built up. Teeth moved with aligners or braces tend to drift back towards where they started, which is why wearing a retainer afterwards matters. A low frenum that was part of the cause can reopen a space too. Before you start any treatment, ask what the plan is for keeping the gap closed.
Does the CDCP cover closing a gap between teeth?
Usually not, if the reason is appearance. Closing a gap for looks counts as cosmetic, and cosmetic treatment generally falls outside the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Veneers are on its list of exclusions. If the gap comes from gum disease, treating the gum disease is different: cleaning under the gumline and non-surgical gum treatment are both on the CDCP's covered list.
Book an exam in Richmond
A gap you were born with is a choice. A gap that just showed up is a message. If you are not sure which one you have, come and see us at Dentudio!
Or call 604-370-1450. Dentudio Dentists, 145-5555 Gilbert Road, Richmond, BC. Open 9am to 5pm, seven days a week. Rated 4.9 from 573 Google reviews at the time of writing.
Sources: J.-F. Liu, C.-L. Hsu and H.-L. Chen, Prevalence of developmental maxillary midline diastema in Taiwanese children, Journal of Dental Sciences, volume 8, 2013; J.A. Brunelle, M. Bhat and J.A. Lipton, Prevalence and distribution of selected occlusal characteristics in the US population, 1988 to 1991 (NHANES III), Journal of Dental Research, 1996; MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, ages that adult teeth come in (reviewed 5 February 2026); American Dental Association, MouthHealthy, Gum Disease; Government of Canada, Gum disease; Government of Canada, What services are covered in the Canadian Dental Care Plan, and the CDCP Dental Benefits Guide; American Association of Orthodontists, consumer alert on do-it-yourself teeth straightening. Review count from Google, 2 October 2026.
Dr. Gloria Jung, DDS, BSc
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