Diastema closure · 4 veneers

What a diastema is

A median diastema is the gap between the two upper central incisors. In some cultures it’s considered a mark of beauty (Madonna, Vanessa Paradis, Lara Stone), but most patients ask to have it closed — especially when it’s more than 2 mm and combined with asymmetry.

Closure options

1. Orthodontics — the most conservative option, but 6–18 months of treatment and lifelong retention to prevent the gap reopening.
2. Composite restorations — reversible, no preparation, but a 5–10 year lifespan and staining over time.
3. Porcelain veneers (e.max) — a long-term solution with minimal enamel preparation.

The chosen plan

The patient chose veneers. The plan included 4 veneers — not just 2 on the central incisors, but also on the lateral incisors, in order to preserve aesthetic proportions (the golden ratio of 1.618). If only the central incisors are closed, they end up wider than ideal and create a visual imbalance.

Clinical sequence

1. Clinical-aesthetic photography and DSD to confirm the ideal tooth-width ratio.
2. Composite mock-up on the natural teeth for 1 week — the patient lives with the result before we commit.
3. 0.3 mm preparation of the enamel, only on the facial and interproximal surfaces. Without anaesthetic in most cases, since the preparation stays within the enamel.
4. Digital scan and veneers delivered within 7 days.
5. Adhesive cementation with a total-etch protocol and a universal bonding agent.