Black triangles are triangular-shaped spaces between teeth that appear as a result of partial or complete loss of gums. Usually, these spaces are filled with gum and are a very important element of a beautiful smile. Black triangles are made visible by the loss of bone and gum between teeth. Likewise, its presence is more common in patients with triangular-shaped teeth. Black Triangles are a frequent aesthetic problem in adults, but they can also cause or hasten gum disease or periodontitis. Additionally, they can also appear with the evolution of the gum disease or after its treatment, due to the reduction of the mass of or the inflammation of the soft tissue. The aesthetic problem appears when they are too obvious, something that happens especially in adults.
The main cause of the appearance of black triangles is periodontal disease. The increase in bacterial plaque causes the gums to recede, destroying their tissue, and that is when the black triangles appear. In most cases they appear after having treated the disease, not during its evolution. This does not mean that we should not act against periodontitis, quite the contrary, we must avoid it and put a solution to it as soon as possible, since the advance of periodontal disease causes loss of dental pieces. Another aspect to take into account is that these spaces are often hidden by tartar, and that makes them more visible after cleaning. In these cases, the gum had already disappeared, and the spaces were filled with dirt.
Also when the dental crowding is very severe, and after an orthodontic treatment the teeth align, showing the black triangles.
Why do the Black Triangles appear?
There are three main reasons why triangle-shaped interdental spaces appear:
1. Triangular shaped teeth. The crowding of the teeth means that, on occasions, the embrasures are not appreciated. But after orthodontic treatment, they become visible.
2. Sequela of periodontitis or "pyorrhea". They can become visible with the evolution of the disease or after its treatment.
3. Diastemas, which are small spaces between the teeth due to the existing separation between them.
How to remove black triangles
If the size of these black triangles becomes unsightly, we can treat them regardless of their cause. There are several options:
1. Veneers . Whether they are made of composite or porcelain, they cannot always completely cover embrasures. It will depend on its size. If they are very wide and the teeth are separated, the design of the veneers would be too abrupt to be able to eliminate the embrasures, with the damage that this can have for the hygiene and health of the gums. In addition, sometimes it is more aesthetic to leave some space between the teeth and for them to have a more natural shape, not excessively rectangular.
2. Stripping and closing spaces. It consists of removing approximately 0.5 mm of interproximal enamel from each tooth and closing this space with orthodontics.
3. Bonding or other composite material that is painted and built up onto the teeth and then cured with ultraviolet light.