Cost to Fix Black Triangles
Patients want to achieve a beautiful, Hollywood smile with straight, white teeth. It is becoming increasingly popular for patients to work on correcting any dental imperfections, including cosmetic issues. Open gingival embrasures, also known as black triangles between the teeth are relatively common. Many patients want to reduce or eliminate the gaps. While the black triangles may appear to be cosmetic, they can actually allow for the accumulation of food and plaque which can cause serious health issues.
An open gingival embrasures or black triangle is a triangle-shaped gap which exists between the teeth at the gum line. The gaps are especially common as a patient ages. This article will discuss how black triangles develop, treatment options, and how they can impact a patient’s oral health.
Cause
Patients who start to notice the early formation of gaps between their teeth should follow with their dentist to discuss the cause. There are various reasons for the black triangles to appear, and in some cases, the gaps develop due to an issue associated with the teeth and gums.
Receding Gums
When the gums are healthy, they are usually pink and full. Healthy gum tissue hugs the teeth and fills the space between the teeth. Factors such as the patient’s age, smoking habits, and gum disease can result in receding gums which begin to pull away from the teeth. The roots can subsequently become exposed, making them increasingly susceptible to bacteria, plaque, and cavities.
Bone Loss
Issues such as gum disease, osteoporosis, and other conditions can result in bone loss. In cases of bone loss, it can also result in receding gum tissue. When this occurs, black triangles often form.
Oral Hygiene
Gum tissue is actually quite sensitive. Patients who use too much force when brushing, can actually damage the gums. It is important for patients to use gentle, circular motion when brushing to avoid causing issues. Patients should also ensure they use gentle force when flossing the teeth.
Orthodontic Treatment
Following the completion of orthodontic treatment, the shifting of teeth can result in the formation of small gaps between the teeth. In other cases, orthodontic bands and other types of appliances can cause damage to the gums.
Tooth Shape
The shape of the patient’s teeth can also impact the likelihood of black triangles developing. Patients with rectangular teeth where the tooth is a similar width at the gum line and biting point are unlikely to develop the gaps. Patients with teeth which are more triangular in their shape, have teeth which are narrower at the gum line. In this case, the gaps are more common.
Treatment
Based on the cause and severity of the gap, there are various treatment options which can be used. It is important for patients to follow up with their dentist to determine the cause of the black triangles. The following treatments are commonly used to reduce or eliminate black triangles.
Oral Hygiene
In cases of minimal black triangles, some patients can find their black triangles improve simply with good oral hygiene. This includes brushing the teeth at least twice each day using gentle pressure and daily flossing. Patients should also make regular visits to the dentist for an exam and professional cleaning. These visits can also aid in the early detection of more serious issues.
Hyaluronic Acid Treatments
The dentist may be able to regenerate gum tissue with the use of hyaluronic acid injections. This solution is often preferred as it is relatively simple, cost effective, and does not cause a great deal of pain. Because this treatment option is relatively new, the longevity of the treatment is not fully known.
Composite Resin
The dentist can also use composite resin bonding to fill the gaps between the teeth. The dentist can use a tooth-colored, pink resin, or both to reduce the size of the black triangles between the teeth.
The cost of treating black triangles will vary drastically based on the cause of the issue and recommended treatment option.