There are lots of kids who have a big space between their top two front teeth. Often this is no big deal and the space is something that will close naturally as the other permanent teeth erupt. But sometimes there is a very strong muscle (frenum) between a child’s front teeth that almost acts like a spring that is pushing their front teeth apart. If you go to a family reunion and everyone you look at (on your spouse’s side of the family of course) has the same large space as your child, you would be wise to come see your orthodontist.
We have found that if we close these spaces at an early age and hold them closed, they tend to stay closed forever. We rarely have to do anything with the strong muscle, ie clip it. If we don’t see a patient with a large diastema until adolescence, it can be a lifelong frustration with a retainer, trying to keep it closed.