Clinical Assessment & Presentations
Intra-oral Features
Spacing in primary dentition
Interdental spacing is normal in the primary dentition and critical for dental development. Primate spaces are present in 50% of patients. The spaces will be occupied during the mixed dentition as larger incisor teeth start to erupt.
Central diastema
Fibrous labial frenum and soft tissue attachments can cause localised spacing. Physiologic spacing can also occur during the early mixed dentition period as the upper incisors erupt more proclined and are influenced by developing canines (Fleming et al. 2008)
Spaced dentition
Spaced dentition can occur in tooth and jaw size discrepancies. There is a smaller tooth size relative to the jaw size, hence resulting in residual spaces in the arch form. Often spaces are maintained due to the soft tissue equilibrium and care must be taken if intending to close these spaces as relapse risks are significant.
