Description
Spacing
“Spacing can occur in the primary, mixed and permanent dentition. Spacing can be considered physiologic (normal) or abnormal. The most common presentation is spacing between incisors, in particular a maxillary midline diastema.”
– Cobourne and DiBiase 2010
Interdental spacing in the primary dentition is normal and critical for dental development. Spacing in the mixed dentition is usually uncommon unless there is excessive incisor proclination. In the permanent dentition, midline diastemas are often localised space problems caused by soft tissue, supernumerary teeth, missing teeth and localised pathology. Other common associations with spacing are excess proclination of teeth or missing teeth. Generalised spacing can also occur because of a tooth-jaw size discrepancy where the teeth are small relative to the jaw (e.g. microdontia).
