What Causes Black Triangles?
You might have small, black triangular gaps between the tops of your teeth and your gum line. In most cases, these black triangles are caused by an insufficient amount of gum tissue; where the teeth taper toward the tops, triangles appear when the gums aren’t as full as they should be. The clinical term for black triangles is open gingival embrasures, which basically means that black triangles are defined by what they lack: they develop where there is space that should be occupied by healthy gum tissue. Black triangles appear most often in the front teeth and arise when the gum tissue recedes. While some amount of gum recession is natural over time, black triangles can be accelerated or exacerbated in people with gum disease or tooth decay, as well as in people who brush their teeth too aggressively and damage their gum tissue as a result.
A lot of people dislike the black triangles in their teeth simply because of the way they look, but there are other reasons, besides aesthetics, to repair open gingival embrasures, the first of which is hygiene. Black triangles can be breeding grounds for trapped bacteria and food debris, increasing the risk of gum disease and decay, and treating them could help you manage your own oral health more effectively. If you’re not bothered by the appearance of your black triangles, and if you and your dentist are happy with your ability to keep your oral cavity clean and healthy, you don’t necessarily have to treat black triangles right away, if at all, but make sure to see your dentist for regular checkups and pay attention to their advice.
In some cases, patients are predisposed to black triangles simply because of the shape of their teeth or the condition of their gum tissue, and in many cases, black triangles couldn’t realistically be prevented. It is possible, however, to minimize the recession of the gums and prevent inflammation and infection by adhering to an effective oral hygiene routine. In addition to brushing twice daily and flossing daily, this routine should include regular visits to the dentist for careful monitoring of existing gingival damage and to assess the risk of further damage. Especially if you notice that your gums are swollen or red, or if your gums bleed when you brush or floss your teeth, don’t wait to see your dentist.
When gum recession goes unaddressed, black triangles become larger and more visible in the absence of healthy gum tissue. When gum recession is minimal and black triangles are still small, they might be managed by an improved oral hygiene routine. If you have more advanced gum recession, you may need to see a periodontist for specialized treatment to slow or stop your black triangles from increasing. Once periodontal disease is treated and infected tissue is removed, you and your dentist can consult about ways to increase the area of the affected teeth with tooth-colored dental composite, minimizing the appearance of black triangles by replenishing the dimensions of the tooth surface. Sometimes, gingival rejuvenation treatments are also used to reverse receding gums and fill the space where black triangles have formed.
In some cases, black triangles form following orthodontic treatment, especially when the teeth were once dramatically crowded. Your orthodontic team will factor the shape of your teeth into your treatment, planning additional treatments to rebalance the appearance of the teeth when needed.