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Midline diastema: A brief overview of its aetiology and management

BDJ Student volume 29, pages 26–27 (2022)Cite this article

Midline diastema is a common dental malocclusion with multifactorial causes. It has a higher prevalence in certain ethnic minorities compared to the Caucasian population. Midline diastema is a common phenomenon during the developing dentition which usually requires no treatment. However, several studies in the literature have highlighted a huge social, psychological, and aesthetic demand for treatment of midline diastema. Conversely, intercultural perception of diastema exists as in African and Middle Eastern cultures it is considered as an attractive feature whereas in western counterparts it is often deemed as unattractive. There are several ways of managing midline diastema. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of some of the aetiological factors behind midline diastema, but mainly focusing on the management options.

Midline diastema is a space (>0.5mm) between the maxillary and/or mandibular incisors and is a relatively common dental malocclusion.1 There are multifactorial causes such as genetic and environmental factors that are attributed to the midline diastema. Its occurrence is approximately 98% in 6 year olds, 49% of 11 year olds and about 7% of 12-18 year olds.2 The prevalence in the adult population is reported to be between 1.6-25.5%. Midline diastema has a higher prevalence in Black communities compared to White, Asians and Hispanics.3 During the developing dentition, it is a common phenomenon and is known as an 'ugly duckling' phase which is linked with teasing among school children.1 In most children, the space closure is spontaneous due to the eruption of lateral incisors and canines. Although, in some instances the diastema does not close spontaneously. The cause and extent of midline diastema needs to be thoroughly investigated and treatment need is mainly due to the psychological and aesthetic reasons rather than functional.4

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  1. University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK

    Sneha Lopes

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  1. Sneha Lopes
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Correspondence to Sneha Lopes.

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Lopes, S. Midline diastema: A brief overview of its aetiology and management. BDJ Student 29, 26–27 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41406-022-0334-7

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