Bonding or Clear Aligners for Gaps: Disguise or Move the Teeth
For adults with a gap between their teeth who are weighing composite bonding against clear aligners. It compares what each changes, which gaps each suits, the combined approach, time, fee list prices, relapse and retainers. The core point: bonding widens teeth to disguise a gap, aligners move teeth to close it, and some gaps need both, aligners first and then bonding for what remains.
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Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, dentist · GDC 301711
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, principal dentist at Deepcar Dental Care, reviewed this page. He is a General Dental Practitioner, GDC 301711.
What are the two approaches to closing a gap between teeth?
A gap between teeth can be disguised by widening the teeth with composite bonding, or closed by moving the teeth with clear aligners. Which suits depends mostly on whether the gap, or diastema, comes from tooth size or tooth position.
Composite is a tooth-coloured material placed directly on the tooth and shaped, NHS hospital guidance explains, so it changes tooth shape, not position. Clear aligners are thin plastic trays used in a series, each moving the teeth a small distance, the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) says. Our page on why gaps between teeth form covers the causes.
How do composite bonding and clear aligners compare for a gap?
Composite bonding changes the shape of the teeth beside a gap, while clear aligners change where the teeth sit. The last row describes Deepcar Dental Care; the rest is general guidance.
| Factor | Composite bonding | Clear aligners |
|---|---|---|
| What changes | Tooth width and shape: composite is added to the teeth beside the gap | Tooth position: the teeth are moved towards each other |
| Tends to suit | A gap from small teeth, where widening keeps them in proportion | Mild spacing, which BOS lists among routine aligner uses |
| How the gap closes | Composite is shaped on the tooth surface, with no tooth movement | A series of aligners moves the teeth in small steps (BOS) |
| Main limit | Widening teeth too far can leave them looking out of proportion | Severe crowding, extractions, complex movements or jaw problems may need additional techniques such as fixed braces (BOS) |
| What keeps the result | Upkeep of the composite, which can chip or discolour | Retainers, worn long term (BOS) |
| Provided at Deepcar Dental Care by | Our cosmetic dentists | Our dentists |
When does composite bonding alone close a gap?
Composite bonding alone tends to suit a gap that comes from small teeth, where widening them keeps them in proportion. NHS hospital guidance says teeth smaller than normal often result in gaps, and that composite bonds to the tooth surface with very little, if any, of the tooth removed with a drill.
At Deepcar Dental Care, composite bonding is provided by our cosmetic dentists.
Proportion sets the limit. A 2018 technique article names reaching an appropriate width proportion of the upper front teeth as a main difficulty of closing a gap with composite, along with avoiding a ledge at the gum that could trap plaque and food. Proportion is explained on our page about closing gaps with composite bonding.
At Deepcar Dental Care, direct composite bonding has a realistic lifespan of around five years, though this varies from person to person with oral hygiene and habits. In general, a 7-year study of front-tooth composite for fractures or gaps found the reasons for failure included fracture of the composite and colour mismatch, with chipping or fracture more frequent in the first year and discolouration linked to beverage consumption.
When do the teeth need to move?
Moving the teeth tends to suit a gap caused by tooth position, or one too wide for composite to close in proportion. NHS guidance lists large gaps between the teeth among the reasons braces may be needed, and BOS lists mild spacing among the routine uses of clear aligners.
At Deepcar Dental Care, clear aligners are provided by our dentists, worn 22 hours a day, with a new aligner every 2 weeks. In general, how long treatment takes depends on how far the teeth need to move: small front-tooth corrections can take a matter of months, and fuller treatment often takes 12 months or more. The expected length for your own teeth is confirmed at assessment.
BOS says aligner treatment for severe crowding, extractions, complex tooth movements or a problem with jaw size or position may need additional techniques, such as fixed braces. Spacing treated by moving teeth is covered on our page about spacing between teeth.
To ask about composite bonding or clear aligners for a gap, book online or call 0114 288 2121.
What is the combined approach to closing a gap?
The combined approach moves the teeth first, then adds composite to close or reshape whatever space is left. It can suit a gap caused by both tooth position and tooth size.
A published case report says composite build-ups are considered practical and conservative for closing spaces, but that combining two or more treatments may be needed to improve the look; it used tooth movement with bonding to close several gaps and correct the midline. A 4-year study of 30 patients, in which 10 of 147 composite additions failed, reported that composite added after fixed braces, mostly to close gaps, may be an excellent and minimally invasive way to correct differences in tooth size and form. That study looked at fixed braces, not aligners.
At Deepcar Dental Care, aligners first, then bonding, is one of the composite bonding options, and bonding is ideally done once aligner treatment has finished. Timing and retainers for this sequence are on our page about composite bonding after braces or aligners.
How do bonding and aligners compare on time and cost?
Composite bonding does not depend on teeth moving, while aligner treatment lasts as long as the teeth take to move. Used on its own, which treatment costs less depends on how many teeth need composite and whether one or both arches need aligners.
The practice's current fee list shows these prices for the two treatments:
- Composite bonding: from £300 per tooth
- Clear aligners: from £1,495 per arch
The fee list says all its prices are “from” prices, based on individual clinical needs.
How do relapse and retention differ between bonding and aligners?
Teeth moved with aligners can drift back, so retainers are needed afterwards; composite does not move teeth, so its upkeep is mainly the material itself. BOS says almost every patient who has had orthodontic treatment needs to wear retainers, because teeth tend to move back towards their original positions.
A closed gap between the upper front teeth can reopen. In a follow-up of 96 patients 4 to 9 years after orthodontic closure of a midline gap, 49% had relapsed, counting a measurable space, retreatment to close it, or a retainer still worn to control it. A wider starting gap and a family member with a similar gap were the only significant risk factors, and at follow-up, upper front teeth that moved when biting were linked to the space reopening.
A smaller study of 30 patients found midline gap relapse in 60% of them, averaging 0.49 mm across all 30; only a wider starting gap and relapse of overjet, how far the front teeth stick out, were linked to it. Closed gaps between the central and side front teeth stayed stable. Neither study reports results for aligners separately.
Frequently asked questions
Will I still need a retainer if bonding finishes my result?
Yes. Composite bonding changes the shape of teeth, not where they sit, so it does not hold teeth in place after aligners. BOS says retainers will be required after any aligner treatment to ensure the teeth maintain their corrected positions, and that the longer you wear retainers, the longer you can keep your teeth straight.
Will one set of aligners close my gap?
Not always. A 2020 systematic review rated the evidence on how efficiently aligners achieve specific tooth movements as low to moderate certainty, and concluded most movements may not be predictable enough to be accomplished with only one set of aligners. It also noted that not every clinical situation had been studied.
Is gap closure with bonding or aligners available on the NHS?
Usually not when the aim is appearance. NHS guidance says the NHS provides clinically necessary treatment, and cosmetic treatments are usually private. Its braces page says braces are usually only free for under-18s who have a problem with their teeth. If you are 18 or over, you will usually have to pay.
Can composite close a gap that reopened after braces?
Sometimes, depending on why it reopened. In a 96-patient follow-up of closed midline gaps, relapse included a history of orthodontic or prosthetic retreatment to close a reopened space. Because composite widens teeth without moving them, a dentist checks whether the space suits composite or whether the teeth need moving again.
How long are retainers worn after aligners close a gap?
Usually long term, because teeth can move at any age. BOS says wearing retainers long-term can reduce age changes in the position of the teeth. Most people end up wearing them at night, and the retainer type and routine are usually set at the end of treatment, so no single schedule fits everyone.
Book a consultation.
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You can book online, or call 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday. The practice is at 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH, with free parking directly outside. You can read what patients say about their care in our patient reviews. Other comparisons involving composite bonding are among the options in this section.
334 Manchester Road
Deepcar, Sheffield S36 2RH
0114 288 2121
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Open 8am to 8pm, seven days
Free parking at the door