Diastema

A diastema (pl.: diastemata, from Greek διάστημα, 'space') is a space or gap between two teeth. Many species of mammals have diastemata as a normal feature, most commonly between the incisors and molars. More colloquially, the condition may be referred to as gap teeth or tooth gap.

In humans, the term is most commonly applied to an open space between the upper incisors (front teeth). It happens when there is an unequal relationship between the size of the teeth and the jaw. Diastemata are common for children and can exist in adult teeth as well.

## Contents

* 1 In humans
* 1.1 Causes
* 1.2 Treatment
* 2 Historical and popular culture references
* 2.1 Famous people
* 3 References

## In humans

### Causes

1\. Oversized Labial Frenulum: Diastema is sometimes caused or exacerbated by the action of a labial frenulum (the tissue connecting the lip to the gum), causing high mucosal attachment and less attached keratinized tissue. This is more prone to recession or by tongue thrusting, which can push the teeth apart.[1]

2\. Periodontal Disease: Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, can result in bone loss that supports the teeth. If a person loses enough bone, the teeth can become loose and cause gaps to form.[2]

3\. Mesiodens: Mesiodens is an extra tooth that grows behind the front teeth. A mesiodens may push the front teeth apart to make room for itself thus creating a gap between the front teeth.[3]

4\. Skeletal discrepancy: Dental skeletal discrepancy can be a cause behind gap teeth. If the upper jaw grows more than the lower jaw, teeth on the upper jaw will have more space to cover thus leaving gaps between them.

5\. Proclination: If the front teeth are angled forward, a small gap between them may appear large. This is called proclination; it may be a result of aggressive tongue thrusting.[4]

### Treatment

A diastema is not a pathology and doesn't require treatment. Any interventions to modify a diastema are purely cosmetic.

1\. Determine the cause of the diastema, then treat the cause.

2\. Diastema treatment options can differ from one patient to another, but generally it is treated by orthodontics,[5] or composite fillings, or a combination of veneers or crowns.

## Historical and popular culture references

In The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote of the "gap-toothed wife of Bath".[6] As early as this time period, the gap between the front teeth, especially in women, was associated with lustful characteristics.[7] Thus, the implication in describing "the gap-toothed wife of Bath" is that she is a middle-aged woman with insatiable lust.[7]

In Ghana, Namibia and Nigeria, as well as throughout many communities in Kenya, diastemata are regarded as being attractive and a sign of fertility, and some people have even had them created through cosmetic dentistry.[8][9]

In France, they are called dents du bonheur (lucky/happiness teeth).[10] This expression originated in Napoleon's time: when the Napoleonic army recruited, it was imperative that soldiers had incisors in perfect condition because they had to open the paper cartridges (containing gunpowder) with their teeth when loading their muskets. All those who had teeth apart were then classified as unfit to fight. Some men broke their own teeth to avoid going to war. Les Blank's Gap-Toothed Women (1987) is a 30-minute documentary film about diastematic women.[11]

### Famous people

Actor Terry-Thomas was known for his 1⁄3-inch (8.5 mm) diastema.

Some well-known people noted for having diastema include:

* Musicians: Madonna,[12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Elton John,[12][13][9][14][15][19] Seal,[15][17][18] Amy Winehouse,[13][18] Mac DeMarco,[15] 50 Cent,[15] Flea, Elvis Costello, Charley Pride, Rex Orange County, Ray Davies of The Kinks, Billy Preston, Benjamin Zephaniah, Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry, Dave Brockie a.k.a. Oderus Urungus and guitarist Corey Smoot a.k.a. Flattus Maximus, both of GWAR, Melanie Martinez, Becky G, Laura Pausini, Edmund Sylvers, Hayley Williams, Pharoahe Monch, guitarist Steve Howe, singer Bobby Brown and his late daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown,[20] , singer Tems, and Gracie Abrams.[21]

* Models: Georgia May Jagger,[7][15][17][19][22] Lauren Hutton,[15][19][23] Lara Stone,[19] Lily Aldridge,[19] Slick Woods,[17] Jessica Hart, Michele Achieng Opiyo and Lindsey Wixson.

* Actresses: Margaret Qualley,[24] Uzo Aduba,[9][15][17][18][19] Anna Paquin,[14][15][17][19][18] Vanessa Paradis,[15][19] Brigitte Bardot,[13] Jorja Fox,[12] Eve Myles,[19] Léa Seydoux, Amira Casar, Cécile de France, Béatrice Dalle, Anna Popplewell, Octavia Spencer, Aubrey Plaza, Shannen Doherty and Aimee Lou Wood.[25]
* Actors: Omar Sharif, Baz Ashmawy, Elijah Wood,[13][15][17][18][19] Robert Morse, Eddie Murphy,[15][9][17][19] Samuel L. Jackson,[15][19] Woody Harrelson,[15][19] Willem Dafoe,[16][17][19] Zac Efron (before veneers)[13][15][17] Laurence Fishburne,[15] Denis Leary,[19] Arnold Schwarzenegger,[15] former late night TV show host David Letterman,[12][15] Ernest Borgnine, Terry-Thomas, Clint Howard, Jemaine Clement, Keith 'Shebada' Ramsay, YouTuber Ross Scott, Vakhtang Kikabidze and antiques expert and TV personality Tim Wonnacott.
* Comedians: Jimmy Tarbuck "The Gap-Toothed Chuckle Chappy", Paul F. Tompkins,[26] Alan Carr and Alex Horne, and Paul Scheer.
* News anchors: American television news reporter and anchor Michelle Charlesworth and New Zealand television news anchor and actress Angela D'Audney.
* Athletes: American football players Michael Strahan[15][17][18][19] and Patrick Mahomes; American football coach Vince Lombardi; association football player Ronaldo; NBA Player Jeremy Sochan ; boxer Mike Tyson;[15] professional wrestler and former TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode; Major League Baseball players Joe DiMaggio[27] (closed[28][29][30]) and Jimmy Rollins; French tennis player Yannick Noah; British Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton; Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk.
* Politicians and leaders: French president Emmanuel Macron, Haitian Revolutionary Toussaint Louverture,[31] former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,[6][8][12][15] former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor,[7] American politicians Stacey Abrams and Chesa Boudin, British politicians Kemi Badenoch and Zack Polanski, and according to released photos, several of the children of Nicholas II of Russia.
* YouTubers: Thai-British anime reviewer Gigguk.

## References

1. ↑ "Diastema or Gaps Between Teeth: Causes and Solutions" (in en-AU). 2020-06-29. https://orthodonticsaustralia.org.au/diastema-or-gaps-between-teeth-causes-and-solutions/.
2. ↑ "Diastema (Gap Between Teeth)". 2022-02-15. https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/early-orthodontics/diastema-gap-between-teeth/.
3. ↑ Kumar, A.; Shetty, R. M.; Dixit, U.; Mallikarjun, K.; Kohli, A. (2022-02-15). "Orthodontic Management of Midline Diastema in Mixed Dentition". International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 4 (1): 59–63. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10005-1083. PMID 27616861.
4. ↑ "Direct Midline Diastema Closure with Composite Layering Technique: A One-Year Follow-Up". 2022-02-16. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/crid/2016/6810984/.
5. ↑ Wheeler, Bryan; K. Carrico, Caroline; Shroff, Bhavna; Brickhouse, Tegman; Laskin, Daniel (2017-11-01). "Management of the Maxillary Diastema by Various Dental Specialties". Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 76 (4): 709–715. doi:10.1016/j.joms.2017.11.024. PMID 29245001. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321263171.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Rachel Dodes (September 8, 2010). "We Don't Mind the Gap: The Fashionable Flash a New Smile". The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703720004575478213601248720?mod=WSJ_NewYork_NewsReel.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Garmaise, Ariella (2018-04-04). "Gap-Toothed Women" (in en-US). http://www.mcgilltribune.com/a-e/gap-toothed-women04042018/.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Midline diastemata in fashion". Bite magazine website. October 14, 2010. http://bitemagazine.com.au/news_blog/?p=190.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Keller, Adrienne. "6 Fun Facts About Gaps Between Teeth". https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/teeth-straightening/fun-facts-about-gaps-between-teeth.
10. ↑ McGuiness, Romina (December 8, 2010). "The year of the gap-tooth trend". Metro. http://www.metro.us/newyork/national/article/714520--the-year-of-the-gap-tooth-trend.
11. ↑ Canby, Vincent (1987-09-16). "Film: 'Gap-Toothed Women,' 'Miss . . . or Myth?'" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/16/movies/film-gap-toothed-women-miss-or-myth.html.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Phinney, Donna J.; Halstead, Judy H. (2012). "Tooth Morphology". Dental Assisting: A Comprehensive Approach (Book Only) (4th ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 164. ISBN 978-1-285-40126-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=GdMKAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA164.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Kapusevska, Biljana; Dereban, Nikola; Zabokova-Bilbilova, Efka; Popovska, Mirjana (2014). "The Influence of Etiological Factors in the Occurence [sic] of Diastema Mediana". Prilozi (Makedonska Akademija Na Naukite I Umetnostite. Oddelenie Za Medicinski Nauki) 35 (2): 169–177. doi:10.2478/prilozi-2014-0022. ISSN 1857-9345. PMID 25532099.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Dahl, Melissa (2010). "Top models need some space (between their teeth)". NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/body-odd/top-models-need-some-space-between-their-teeth-flna1c9386880.
15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 15.15 15.16 15.17 15.18 15.19 15.20 Evans, Dayna (2015). "Celebrity Diastemas, Ranked". http://rankings.gawker.com/celebrity-diastemas-ranked-1686375865.
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Saner, Emine (29 April 2019). "Wonky-teeth icons: the stars you should emulate, from Kate Moss to Madonna". the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2019/apr/29/wonky-teeth-icons-the-stars-you-should-emulate-from-kate-moss-to-madonna.
17. ↑ 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 Shaw, Gabbi (2019). "11 celebrities that are known for their tooth gaps". https://www.insider.com/celebrities-with-tooth-gaps.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 "14 Celebs With Intoxicating Tooth Gaps". 2017. https://www.cosmopolitan.in/celebrity/news/g2132/14-celebs-intoxicating-tooth-gaps.
19. ↑ 19.00 19.01 19.02 19.03 19.04 19.05 19.06 19.07 19.08 19.09 19.10 19.11 19.12 19.13 19.14 19.15 Chack, Erin (2017). "18 Celebs Who Rock The Fuck Out Of A Tooth Gap". https://www.buzzfeed.com/erinchack/celebs-who-rock-the-fuck-out-of-a-tooth-gap.
20. ↑ Gary Hill. "Steve Howe". AllMusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-howe-mn0000036537.
21. ↑ "Gracie Abrams's Guide to Skin Icing and Treating Adult Acne" (in en-US). https://www.vogue.com/video/watch/beauty-secrets-gracie-abrams-video.
22. ↑ Allen, Caroline (2019). "Gap toothed trend has led to an increase in reversed dental work". Yahoo News. https://www.yahoo.com/now/gap-toothed-trend-has-led-to-an-increase-in-reversed-dental-work-154855903.html.
23. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Gap-Toothed Women Movie Review (1988)" (in en). https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/gap-toothed-women-1988.
24. ↑ Corr, Johannah Thomas (2017-06-20). "Introducing indie actress Margaret Qualley" (in en). https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/actress-dancer-coyote-feeder-introducing-indie-actress-margaret-qualley-a3564361.html.
25. ↑ "Aimee Lou Wood Knows You're Talking About Her Teeth" (in en-US). 2025-03-12. https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/a64166406/the-white-lotus-aimee-lou-wood-teeth-comments-rebellious/.
26. ↑ "Diastema (dentistry)". Factualworld. http://www.factualworld.com/article/Diastema_(dentistry).
27. ↑ StreetJournal, Michael J. McCarthyStaff Reporter of The Wall (9 March 1999). "America Saw Itself in DiMaggio, A Hero Who Spanned Generations". Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB920898427590603000. "With a chipmunk face and gap-tooth smile, this "regular Joe" personified the American dream."
28. ↑ Cramer, Richard Ben (2001). Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life. Simon and Schuster. p. 382. ISBN 978-0-684-86547-8. https://books.google.com/books?id=-nQGCE9yjO0C&pg=PA382. "Joe never got his buck teeth fixed until Skinny took care of it"
29. ↑ Newsweek Staff (21 March 1999). "The Dimaggio Nobody Knew". Newsweek. https://www.newsweek.com/dimaggio-nobody-knew-163382. "He got his teeth fixed"
30. ↑ "ESPN.com - Major League Baseball - DiMaggio book: Business and pleasure". https://www.espn.com/mlb/s/dimaggiobook1.html.
31. ↑ Bell (2008) [2007], p. 56.

* Bell, Madison Smartt (2008). Toussaint L'Ouverture: A Biography. New York: Vintage Books. ISBN 978-1400079353.

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