Celebrities like Anna Paquin and Lara Stone have made tooth gaps more acceptable, but if you still can't stand that gap between your two front teeth, you don't have to go on living with it. Your best bet is to visit a cosmetic dentist. He or she may recommend one of these treatments to close or camouflage your tooth gap.

Braces or Invisible Aligners

Sometimes the space between your two front teeth exists because all of your teeth are located just a little further "to the side" than they should be. Your dentist will take x-rays of your jaw to determine if this is the case. If so, he or she will likely recommend braces or invisible aligners to push all of your teeth a little further towards the front of your mouth, closing your tooth gap.

You might fear wearing braces because you don't want to look like a metal mouth, but invisible aligners, which are clear, plastic trays that snap in and out of your mouth, are an option for most adults who just need a little tooth adjustment such as that required to close a tooth gap.

Rubber Bands

Sometimes all of your teeth are in the proper place except for your front teeth, which are pushed to the side just a little. If this is the case, your dentist may place a special rubber band around your two front teeth to slowly push them closer together. Note that it is not safe to just do this at home with any rubber band that you have lying around. The rubber band must be just the right tension and placed in precisely the right place, or you risk shifting your tooth roots in a way that may cause permanent damage.

Frenectomy Surgery

Does the gum tissue between your two front teeth extend down between them? This could be contributing to your tooth gap. Your dentist can perform a simple procedure called a frenectomy to remove this tissue. The procedure can be done under local anesthetic so you don't feel a thing. Once the tissue is gone, your dentist will be able to use one of the other treatments on this list to close the gap between your teeth.

Dental Bonding

Sometimes the problem is not that your teeth are located too far to the side, but that they are simply too small to fill in that space between them. If this is the case, you dentist may use a procedure called dental bonding to make your teeth appear larger. Dental bonding is similar to the process of filling a tooth. Your dentist will prepare a tooth-colored composite resin. He or she will then place a little mold along the inside of your front tooth. The resin will be inserted into this mold with a syringe. It will harden, adding bulk to the inside of your tooth. Your dentist will file the resin down to make it look smooth and natural. Nobody who looks at you should be able to see the barrier between your actual tooth and the resin.

Veneers

Some tooth gaps are too big to be solved with dental bonding. When this is the case, your dentist may recommend veneers. Veneers may also be used if you do not wish to undergo an orthodontic treatment such as braces. Veneers are little pieces of porcelain that are attached to the front of your tooth. In your case, your veneers would extend further inward than your actual front teeth. When someone looks at you, they'll see the veneers, which come together nicely in the center, rather than your real teeth that sit behind them.

Having veneers applied is simple and painless. They're considered an excellent way to get the smile you've always dreamed of without the hassle of orthodontic work. However, they are expensive -- the typical cost ranges from $925 to $2,500 per tooth.

Whether your tooth gap is big or small, a cosmetic dentist can fix it. Talk to your dentist to learn more about these options and which one is right for you.