If you have black triangular gaps between your teeth along your gum line, their appearance might bother you. The fact of the matter is, black triangles can cause problems beyond mere aesthetics, creating ideal conditions for trapping food debris and breeding bacterial plaque. Black triangles can be managed with effective oral hygiene, and they can also be fixed with a variety of different methods. These openings between the bases of the teeth, where the gums and teeth meet, appear when a person’s gum tissue has begun to recede, which can happen because of gum disease but can also happen naturally in people who have especially delicate gum tissue. The appearance of black triangles can also arise because of the shape of the teeth, as they appear where the tooth begins to taper into its root; if you have particularly angular teeth, the likelihood of black triangle gaps appearing increases.
The gums naturally recede as a person ages, but certain factors can accelerate gum recession. Periodontal diseases and smoking both compromise the oral tissues, causing the gums to draw away from the teeth, leaving the tooth roots vulnerable to decay and infection. When black triangles are caused by periodontal disease, treating the disease can halt the progression of black triangles. If there is bone loss at the base of the teeth, which can result from advanced periodontal disease, black triangles are more likely. Brushing the teeth with too much force or a toothbrush that is too hard can aggravate black triangles, and correcting brushing methods can help keep black triangles from progressing. Some orthodontic treatments can cause black triangles to form after the teeth have shifted, and some black triangles form simply because of the shape of the teeth.
The optimal treatment for black triangles will depend on their cause and severity, but dentists have a few different options in their arsenal. If your black triangles developed following an orthodontic treatment, like braces, an additional orthodontic treatment can help repair the issue. If you have delicate gum tissue and black triangles have started to form, adopting new oral hygiene habits can help rejuvenate the gums and diminish the appearance of black triangles. It’s important to brush and floss the teeth and gums gently and efficiently, and the type of toothbrush you use matters, too. Your dentist can provide instructions and recommendations if you’re concerned about black triangles caused by brushing and flossing.
Various cosmetic dental treatments can also be used to treat black triangles. Dental veneers are custom-made, microscopically thin layers of tooth-colored porcelain that are cemented to the fronts of the natural teeth, creating the appearance of balanced, symmetrical teeth. Dentists may recommend hyaluronic acid treatment to rejuvenate the gums, which can help reduce the appearance of black triangles caused by gingival recession. When gum recession is more significant, dentists might suggest gum contouring surgery, a more invasive procedure that surgically reshapes the gums and provides a long-term fix for the host of problems caused by gum recession. For a less invasive fast fix, some dentists rely on dental bonding, a treatment that uses tooth-colored dental composite to reshape the teeth and fill in the triangles.