Cost to fix diastema?

Before your dentist can begin to explore diastema treatments with you, the cause of your diastema will first need to be determined. Depending on the cause, there are multiple solutions. Your dentist will also take into consideration the size of the gap, your overall oral health, and, of course, your budget. The least expensive treatment for diastema is the use of inexpensive rubber bands that slip over the teeth to draw them together. Used while sleeping, teeth gap bands cost between $4 and $30 for 50-100 bands. While this treatment is very inexpensive, it is also not recommended by most dentists, for a few good reasons. First, it can be very painful. Many dentists are also concerned that teeth gap bands can lead to long-term problems, either pulling the teeth out of alignment, or opening gaps in new places in the mouth while closing others.

Cosmetic dental bonding is a more popular treatment that involves using a resin that has been colored to match the surrounding teeth to increase the width of the teeth on either side of the gap. Your dentist will sculpt and form this resin to the surfaces of the teeth, gradually increasing the surface area of the teeth and narrowing the gap. The average cost for dental bonding is about $300-$800 per tooth, though this price can vary widely depending on the complexity of the treatment, the expertise of the dentist, and local market rates. In some circumstances, dental bonding can cost as little as $100 per tooth, or as much as $1,000 per tooth. In most cases, the dentist must bond two adjacent teeth in order to narrow a gap; note that these prices are per tooth. Because it is considered a cosmetic procedure, bonding is not usually covered by dental insurance. Bonding is best used for smaller gaps, as are veneers. Veneers are custom-made thin sheets of material that are fitted over the teeth themselves. With traditional porcelain veneers, your dentist must first remove a thin layer of your tooth’s enamel, so that the veneers will sit flush with the gumline. These traditional porcelain veneers cost between $500-$1,100 per tooth. To create the most natural-looking match in color and translucence, your dentist may recommend getting veneers for more than just the affected teeth, which increases overall cost but results in a more natural appearance. The Lumineers brand of veneer doesn’t require the removal of enamel, as they are very thin, but the cost is greater -- usually from $700 to $1,300 per tooth. As with bonding, because veneers are a cosmetic treatment, they are highly unlikely to be covered by dental insurance.

If the teeth adjacent to your diastema are damaged, with cavities, cracks, or decay, your dentist may opt to use dental crowns, which will repair the teeth while also narrowing the gap between them. The cost of dental crowns ranges widely depending on the material that is used. Porcelain fused to metal costs between $500-$1,500 per tooth. Metal crowns, which are made of a gold alloy or a base-metal alloy, cost between $500-$2,500 per tooth, and crowns made entirely of porcelain cost $800-$3,000 per tooth. If you choose crowns as a treatment for a gap between the two front teeth, the cost can range from $1,000 all the way to $6,000, depending on materials used. Cosmetic crowns are not usually covered by dental insurance, but if the crowns are also serving a medical purpose, like treating or preventing further decay, insurance may cover at least a portion of the treatment.

Orthodontic solutions are also effective treatments for diastema. If there are no other issues with alignment or bite, your orthodontist may choose to use partial braces on only the six upper front teeth. These cost, on average, between $2,000 and $3,000. If there are other orthodontic issues that need addressing, your orthodontist may recommend full braces, which range in price from $1,500 to as much as $13,000, depending on the type of braces and the extent of correction needed. In some cases, an orthodontist may be able to forego braces entirely and use a retainer to close a gap between the teeth; a retainer can be expected to cost between $500 and $2,500. Some dental insurance plans will cover braces for children up to age 18, but not for adults, so be sure to research your insurance plan thoroughly before deciding on a treatment procedure.

Finally, in cases where the lip tissue affects the placement of the teeth, a simple surgical procedure may be offered as the solution. The membrane that attaches the cheeks to the jaw and gums is called a “frenum.”  In cases where the frenum is too large, it may pull on the adjacent gum tissue, weakening the underlying teeth and pulling them out of alignment. A labial frenectomy is a surgical procedure in which this frenum is trimmed, slightly, to loosen the pressure it places on the gums. A simple labial frenectomy costs $250-$1,200. In some cases, the gums must also be repaired, which increases costs. Sometimes, a labial frenectomy is performed after braces are removed, to prevent the frenum from pulling the teeth back out of alignment after mechanical correction. Insurance rarely covers a frenectomy.

More on Diastema : Causes of Diastema?