Space Maintainers
What Are Dental Space Maintainers?
A space maintainer is an appliance that is made out of metal and placed into a child’s mouth to replace a lost, missing, or extracted tooth to maintain the space that was held by the lost tooth and allow for proper dental development.
When a baby tooth is lost prematurely due to trauma or decay, the resulting gap can cause significant dental and orthodontic problems. Neighboring teeth may shift to fill the space, potentially leading to misaligned permanent teeth or even tooth impaction, where a tooth fails to emerge. This shifting can also cause crowding, make dental hygiene more challenging, and interfere with proper oral functions like eating and speaking.
Dental space maintainers are an effective solution to keep the space open, helping ensure that permanent teeth grow in correctly aligned. However, losing a baby tooth early doesn’t always mean a space maintainer is necessary. During your child’s appointment, Dr. Hayley will carefully evaluate their case to determine the best course of action.
What to Expect
Space maintainers can either be fabricated in the office as a single visit or fabricated by a laboratory as a two-part visit using a dental impression or mold depending on number and location of teeth lost. It may take a few days for your child to get used to wearing their space maintainer.
Help your child avoid sticky foods like gum, caramel, and candy. Additionally, discourage them from pushing the space maintainers with their tongue or fingers as this can loosen the appliance. Dr. Hayley will review how to properly clean and care for the space maintainer with you and your child.
Please don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions about an existing space maintainer or think your child may need one.