Does Your Child Need a Space Maintainer?

The importance of baby teeth is chewing and biting. However, they also have another purpose: to hold space for permanent teeth.

If a child loses a tooth before it’s time for the permanent tooth to erupt, it could come out in the wrong position. For example, adjacent teeth may tilt inward or move, taking up space intended for the permanent tooth. A dentist may recommend a space maintainer in such a situation.

What Is a Tooth Space Maintainer and How Does It Work?

A space maintainer is a dental device commonly used with children. For example, when a child loses their baby teeth prematurely due to genetic conditions, trauma, or other reasons, a space maintainer is used to preserve the vacant space left by a missing tooth. It maintains the space while waiting for the kid’s adult tooth to grow.

It also prevents the neighboring baby teeth from shifting into the open space.

What Are Different Types of Space Maintainers?

Your child’s situation determines what type of space maintainer our pediatric dentist in Taylor and West Bloomfield, MI, may recommend. Some of the options include:

Fixed maintainer

A fixed tooth space maintainer is cemented onto the tooth. A patient cannot remove this type of maintainer, which increases its long-term effectiveness. Below are the types of fixed space maintainers:

• • Band and loop maintainer

A stainless-steel wire is used to make this type of maintainer. A metal band on the tooth adjacent to the gap supports the maintainer in place. The band is attached to a wire loop that stretches across the gap and hardly comes in contact with the tooth on the other side.

The loop averts tooth movement and leaves sufficient space for an adult tooth to come out without crowding.

• • Lingual arch

It is often required when a child is missing back teeth on the lower jaw on both sides. It is normally bilateral and connects two molars in the lower or upper jaws.

The appliance makes space in the upper or lower dental arch. That helps permanent molars to erupt properly.

• • Distal shoe

Distal shoes preserve space after the primary second molars are lost and before the first molar eruption at around age 6 or 7.

The device contains a stainless-steel wire that encompasses the unerupted permanent first molar to assist in guiding it as it grows.

• • Unilateral

A wire keeps the space between the two teeth intact. A dentist wraps the wire around the tooth and connects it to a metal loop to maintain the space.

Removable maintainer

It resembles a retainer; this maintainer uses a plastic block or an artificial tooth to fill the space. It’s a good option if the kids’ tooth is nearly ready to grow. A removable space maintainer can be customized to suit your child’s needs.

These devices are created from acrylic material and can go with a fake tooth. It makes it easy for a kid to maintain good oral hygiene habits like flossing and brushing.

If you are interested in dental space maintainers in Taylor and West Bloomfield, MI, don’t hesitate to contact us.

How Are Space Maintainers beneficial for Children?

Keeps the neighboring teeth in the right position

One of the most important purposes of space maintainers is that they aid in keeping a child’s teeth in the correct position. In addition, they prevent the surrounding teeth from moving into the space.

Proper growth of adult teeth

Baby teeth form pathways that permanent teeth will follow as they come out. Therefore, losing a baby tooth makes it difficult for a permanent tooth to erupt properly and leads to certain dental issues.

A space maintainer aids in preserving a child’s mouth and promotes proper eruption of adult teeth.

Decreases the need for orthodontic treatment and braces

Encouraging proper growth of permanent teeth in your kid’s mouth minimizes potential orthodontic problems. Failure to preserve the gap left by a missing tooth can make an adult tooth erupt improperly and become crooked, needing braces and other orthodontic treatments.

After a premature baby tooth loss, putting a maintainer in place helps keep your child’s mouth healthy and avoid orthodontic treatment.

Pain-free

Placing a space maintainer in a child will not hurt at all. However, the first few days after getting a maintainer, one may feel uncomfortable. That is because the teeth experience a little bit of pressure as it tries to settle in the right position.