Widely spaced teeth

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Oral anatomy

Widely spaced teeth

Definition:

Widely spaced teeth can be a temporary condition related to normal growth and the acquisition of adult teeth. It can also occur as a permanent condition in several diseases. Wide spacing can also result from continued growth of the maxilla or jaw, as is seen in acromegaly.

Alternative Names:

Teeth - widely spaced

Common Causes:

Normal growth (temporary widening)
Tooth shifting due to missing teeth
Acromegaly
Morquio syndrome
Sanfilippo syndrome
Ellis-van Creveld syndrome

Home Care:

If the appearance is bothersome, ask your dentist about the possibility of orthodontic work (braces).

Call your health care provider if:

Your child's teeth or jaws appear to be developing abnormally.
Other symptoms accompany the appearance of widely spaced teeth.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

Dental x-rays
Facial or skull x-rays

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