Closing Gaps with Composite Bonding: Diastema Closure
Composite diastema closure adds tooth-coloured composite to the sides of the teeth next to a gap, so the gap closes without moving them. This page covers which gaps suit composite, the proportion limit, when alignment should come first, when a gap can signal gum disease, what treatment involves, cleaning, longevity and cost. The core point: tooth proportion and position decide whether composite alone suits.
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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.
How does composite bonding close a gap between teeth?
Composite bonding closes a gap by adding tooth-coloured composite to the sides of the teeth next to it, so they widen and meet. Where they meet is the new contact point. A gap between teeth is a diastema; between the two upper front teeth it is a midline diastema.
Composite changes the width and shape of teeth but does not move them. NHS hospital guidance says very little, if any, of the tooth surface needs removing with a drill. Our page on why gaps between teeth form covers the causes.
Gap closure is one of the composite bonding treatments at Deepcar Dental Care, provided by our cosmetic dentists.
Which gaps can be closed with composite?
Composite suits a gap when the teeth either side can be widened to close it and still look in proportion. In general, that includes:
- A gap from small or narrow teeth (microdontia), which NHS hospital guidance says often results in gaps between the teeth.
- A gap left after braces because the teeth are too narrow for the space; a 4-year study found composite added after fixed braces may be an excellent, minimally invasive way to correct differences in tooth size and form.
NHS hospital guidance says a large frenum, the fold of gum joining the upper lip to the gum between the front teeth, can contribute to a gap there, and that removing it is sometimes needed as part of an overall treatment plan.
What is the proportion limit for closing a gap with composite?
The proportion limit is the point where widening teeth to close a gap would leave them looking too wide for their length. Every millimetre of gap closed becomes added tooth width.
In a study of 146 extracted upper teeth from white subjects, unworn upper central incisors were on average about 78% as wide as they were long. A 2021 review of 17 studies found that sex affects the width and length of these teeth, and ethnicity their width, length and proportion. It advises taking face size and sex into account, and sharing a gap between the upper front teeth equally, keeping the contact between them on the midline.
A study of 102 white people found those with a midline gap had shorter central incisors and canines, and concluded that closing the gap attractively requires lengthening the front teeth as well as widening them. A 2018 technique article names width proportion as a main difficulty of gap closure.
When should alignment come first?
Alignment should come first when teeth sit too far apart, or a gap is too wide for composite to close in proportion. NHS guidance lists large gaps among the reasons braces may be needed. In general, signs that moving the teeth may suit better include:
- a gap that is wide compared with the teeth either side
- a midline between the upper front teeth that sits off-centre
- gaps across several teeth, or crooked teeth as well
Clear aligners or braces can close a gap, or share the space evenly before composite is added; a published case report used tooth movement with bonding to close several gaps and centre the midline. After aligners or braces, the British Orthodontic Society says almost every patient needs retainers; our page on keeping your teeth in their new position covers retainers.
Our page on straightening teeth with removable aligners explains aligners, and bonding or clear aligners for gaps are compared on their own page.
Can a new gap between teeth be a sign of gum disease?
Sometimes: in periodontitis, the more advanced form of gum disease, teeth can drift out of position and a gap can open. A 2016 study of 314 patients with periodontitis found drifting teeth in 35 of them, and in none with mild periodontitis.
NHS guidance says to see a dentist if your gums bleed when you brush your teeth or eat hard foods, your gums are painful and swollen, you have bad breath, or your child has sore, bleeding gums. Ask for an urgent dentist appointment if you or your child has gum disease and other symptoms such as very sore and swollen gums, teeth becoming loose or falling out, ulcers or red patches in your mouth, or a lump in your mouth or on your lip. If you do not have a dentist or cannot get an emergency appointment, call 111.
Our page on how gum disease develops covers the condition.
Questions about this treatment? Book online or call the practice.
What happens during composite gap closure?
At the practice, composite gap closure is planned first, and a mock-up in the mouth shows the planned shape before you commit. For composite bonding, the treatment includes a consultation, photographs, an intraoral scan, a wax-up or digital design, the mock-up, a hygiene visit before treatment, a final polish appointment, a review appointment and an aftercare kit.
For composite bonding at the practice, gum disease and decay are treated before bonding. Composite bonding usually needs no drilling and no injection. The technique, from freehand sculpting to a silicone key or injection moulding, is chosen case by case, using a premium composite system selected to suit the case. The stages are set out in what happens during composite bonding.
What is the emergence profile, and how do you clean a closed gap?
The emergence profile is the shape of a tooth where it leaves the gum; on a closed gap it affects how easily the area cleans. A 2018 technique article warns that a ledge of composite near the gum below the contact could become a plaque and food trap, and that excess composite on the gum could lead to possible inflammation.
How high the contact point sits matters too. In a 1992 study of 288 sites, the gum between two teeth filled the space almost always when the contact point was 5 mm or less from the bone, 56% of the time at 6 mm, and 27% of the time or less at 7 mm or more. An unfilled space shows as a black triangle, covered on our page on closing black triangles with composite. NHS cleaning advice applies at home:
- Brush twice a day for about 2 minutes, last thing before bed and one other time, with adult toothpaste containing at least 1,350 ppm fluoride, then spit rather than rinse.
- Clean between your teeth every day with floss or interdental brushes; an interdental brush should fit snugly.
How long does composite gap closure last?
The practice gives around five years as a realistic lifespan for composite bonding. How long yours lasts depends on your bite, your habits and your oral hygiene. Composite bonding comes with 12-month aftercare cover, covering repairs; accidental trauma and infection are excluded.
For composite bonding, the review appointment is 2 weeks after treatment, and the practice recommends a professional re-polish every 6 months. In general, a long-term study of front-tooth composite for fractures or gaps found chipping or fracture more often in the first year, and discolouration linked to what patients drank. Our page on how long composite bonding lasts goes further.
How much does closing a gap with composite cost?
Cost depends on the route and how many teeth are treated. The practice's current fee list gives these prices:
- Composite Bonding Per Tooth: From £300
- Clear aligners: from £1,495 per arch
The fee list says all its prices are “from” prices, based on individual clinical needs. Fixed braces have no line on the fee list. Our bonding cost page explains what it costs, and our finance page covers spreading the cost of treatment.
When should you speak to your dentist about a gap?
Speak to your dentist if a gap between your teeth is new or widening, or if composite closing a gap chips, cracks or comes loose. Other reasons include:
- gums that bleed when you brush, which the NHS lists as a reason to see a dentist
- floss that catches or shreds at the edge of composite near the gum
- food that keeps getting trapped where a gap was closed
What other composite bonding treatments are there?
Other treatments among the options in this section include edge bonding and composite veneers. Our page on composite bonding explains the treatment as a whole.
Frequently asked questions
Can a gap between front teeth be closed without braces?
Sometimes. If the gap comes from small or narrow teeth and widening keeps them in proportion, composite can close it without moving them. If the teeth sit too far apart or the gap is too wide for composite alone, clear aligners or braces can move the teeth first, and composite can follow.
Is composite gap closure available on the NHS?
Usually not when it is cosmetic. NHS guidance says NHS dental treatment is for keeping your mouth and teeth healthy, and you will usually need to get cosmetic treatments privately. Braces, it says, are usually only free on the NHS for under-18s who have a problem with their teeth.
Does a small gap need closing at all?
Not always. In a 2023 survey of 414 people in Malaysia, laypeople and dentists rated a 0.5 mm midline gap as attractive and a 4 mm gap as unattractive and needing treatment. A new or widening gap is different: it is worth checking with a dentist.
Can I whiten my teeth before closing a gap with composite?
Yes. For composite bonding at the practice, whitening before bonding is optional, and it can be done first. The NHS says teeth whitening can only lighten the colour of natural teeth, so whitening does not lighten composite. Our page on getting the order of treatment right explains how the two are sequenced.
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334 Manchester Road
Deepcar, Sheffield S36 2RH
0114 288 2121
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