Healthy smiles have teeth tightly close together, with minimal spacing in between for ease of flossing and brushing. For many orthodontists and dentists, healthy mouths are a top priority, and one of the most well-known problems people face with their teeth and gums is a visible condition characteristically known as black triangles. These triangles are empty spaces in between the teeth where the gums or teeth should be, and this condition can result from numerous underlying causes. We’re here to help you better understand your concerns and give you some options for treatment.

What Causes Dental Triangles?

Black triangles are more common than you would think – according to some review studies, these studies have shown that black triangles can occur in over 60% of people over the age of 20, making it rather common and consistent. Black triangles can be visually unappealing to some, and health-wise can lead to poorer oral health. Most often, this condition occurs due to genetic factors affecting their oral anatomy and poor oral hygiene. However, this condition can also occur from reasons such as:

• Old Age: While up to 67% of people over the age of 20 can experience this condition, most often, this condition occurs from old age. As we age, our gums can easily recede, and our tooth’s enamel can severely decline due to the lack of calcium and vitamin D absorption.
• Gum Disease: For those not over the age of 65, gum disease is the most common cause of black triangles due to its ability to recede the gum line and destroy the enamel.
• Tooth Root Divergence: In rarer cases, if the tooth roots begin to degrade or diverge over time, black triangles can develop.
• Abnormal Tooth Restoration: Some causes of black triangles can develop from poor dental restoration, leading to cosmetic inconsistencies and overall poor mouth structure.

While black triangles appear to be a cosmetic problem, it isn’t. As a matter of fact, having black triangles in between your teeth can lead to higher plaque accumulation due to the ease of food particles and bacteria getting in between the teeth. That’s also why it’s important that with any cosmetic concern, you should visit your dentist!

What Treatment Options Are There For Black Triangles?

Dental black triangles are a complex problem to treat, and because of this, it requires an interdisciplinary approach from cosmetic dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons alike. Managing this condition takes time, but through these treatment options, those black triangles can be removed, and you’ll have a healthier mouth:

• Tooth reshaping: Your dentist can alter the teeth through cosmetic recontouring and bonding methods to eliminate black triangles.
• Gingival veneers: Gingival veneers can be a cost-effective way of temporarily covering the spaces in between the teeth but also requires consistent brushing and flossing to manage.
• Orthodontic treatment: By repositioning the teeth through braces, those black triangles can be removed, and you’ll have perfectly aligned teeth!
• Surgical treatments: In other methods, gum recontouring, tissue volumizing, and regenerative methods can be used to remove black triangles for good.

To prevent the onset of black triangles, it’s important that you take care of your teeth, and if you notice signs of black triangles, visiting your dentist is the first and best solution towards better oral care all around!