hi Leon, this is quite a common problem believe it or not. i have many patients come to see me with what the profession call a diastema(gap between the two front teeth), as you have commented it is a large gap, so options are limited. i will go through each option in point form:
1: braces, this is a great way to close the gap the advantages of this treatment is there is generally no drilling involved and is relatively pain free. there are also invisible braces available so no need for the conventional train tracks type of braces. the main disadvantage of this treatment is the length of treatment time can be upto 2 years dependant up on the severity of gap.
2:veneers to close the gap, this is very tricky as if you just have the two front teeth veneered this can make the two teeth look very un naturally big. therefore we generally spread the space in the gap over more teeth so all the teeth are slightly bigger closing the gap and so making everything look more evenly proportioned. the main advantage of this treatment is the speed at which it can be done. in a two week period. the disadvantage is that the teeth in generally have to be prepared so drilling is necessary. this can however also improve the colour of the teeth and also improve shape and contour.
hope this is helpful. the best thing would be to seek out a cosmetic dentist you feel you can trust and go for a consultation.
if you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me. and happy new year.
Dr Kailesh Solanki
www.kissdental.co.uk