What Causes Black Triangles?
Gingival embrasures, commonly known as black triangles, are the space between two teeth and the gumline. Black triangles can be naturally occurring, but they can also worsen over time. Black triangles are fairly common and, if treated properly, can be fixed.
Causes of Black Triangles
There are a few reasons as to why black triangles occur: tooth shape, overly aggressive brushing, receding gumline, and orthodontic treatment.
Tooth Shape: Everyone’s teeth are shaped differently. There are rectangular teeth, oval teeth, or more triangular teeth. Triangular teeth in particular have a wider edge, which creates space for black triangles to appear, and the more triangular the tooth’s shape, the more pronounced the black triangle will be.
Overly Aggressive Brushing & Receding Gums: There is such a thing as brushing your teeth too hard. If you scrub aggressively or floss hard, this can wear away at your gums, cause infection, or cause your gums to recede. Gum recession can also, and oftentimes is, caused by gum disease, which can lead to a black triangle. When gum tissue pulls away from the tooth, or recedes, it exposes more of the tooth’s root, creating a gap between the two teeth.
Orthodontic Treatment: Braces, retainers, or other orthodontic treatments that are meant to move your teeth can sometimes leave gaps. If this is the case, you may require further treatment.
Treatment Plans & Cost
When treating a black triangle, there are a few options to consider depending on the severity of the case, your doctor’s recommendations, as well as your preference and price range.
Proper Dental Hygiene: Brushing properly and gently and flossing daily will help to keep your mouth, teeth, and gums clean and healthy. If the black triangle is minor, proper oral hygiene to improve gum health may enable your gums to return to normal and close the small black gap between the two teeth.
Dental Bonding: This option is one of the least invasive options to close a black triangle and is most commonly used in cases where the gap is very small. Dental bonding is a cosmetic procedure where a composite made of resin is color-matched to your surrounding teeth and then applied to the natural tooth and cured with a light. On average, dental bonding costs around $400 per tooth but can range anywhere between $300 and $900.
Crowns or Veneers: In a more advanced case of a black triangle, a crown or veneer may be recommended by your dentist. A veneer is made of porcelain or composite and is bonded to the front of your natural tooth to improve its appearance and close the gap. Crowns are very similar to veneers, the only major difference being that it caps the entirety of the tooth. Crowns can be more functional, whereas veneers are primarily used for cosmetic purposes. Veneers are much more expensive than bonding. They can range anywhere between $900 and $2,500, and the price typically depends on the type of veneer.
Braces: Your dentist may recommend braces or aligners to shift your teeth into the ideal placement, which will close the gap. Without insurance, in the United States, braces typically cost between $2,500 and $7,000 and depend on how complex the case is and the treatment plan. In most cases, clear aligners cost more than metal braces, on average between $3,000 and $9,000.
If you are someone who is looking to fix a black triangle for cosmetic purposes, reach out to your dentist to come up with a treatment plan. If you or your dentist believes the black triangles could cause oral health issues in the future, it is important to treat the problems right away and prevent any further damage.
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