Roanoke Space Maintainers
Your child may need a space maintainer if a baby tooth falls out too early or is extracted due to decay or injury. Baby teeth play an important role in helping guide the eruption of the permanent teeth, so space maintainers are important if a baby tooth is lost too early.
Space maintainers can be made of either acrylic or metal and can be either removable or cemented into the mouth. The purpose of it is to ensure the space remains open for the correct permanent tooth to erupt and prevent other teeth from drifting into the spot. If space isn’t maintained and permanent teeth erupt in the wrong locations, your child may require orthodontic treatment.
There are two types of space maintainers – removable and fixed.
- Removable space maintainers are typically acrylic and are similar to orthodontic appliances
- Fixed space maintainers come in a few forms – unilateral, crown and loop, distal shoe, and lingual.
- Unilateral space maintainers are placed on one side of the mouth to hold open space and wrap around the outside of the tooth. It is connected to a metal loop that holds the space open.
- Crown and loop space maintainers consist of an actual crown that covers the tooth and is then attached to a loop to hold space for the erupting tooth.
- Distal shoe space maintainers are used for unerupted first permanent molars. The end of the metal is inserted into the gum line to ensure space doesn’t close up. We will monitor to ensure the molar can erupt properly.
- Lingual space maintainers are typically bilateral and cemented to molar teeth, then connect by a wire to the inside of the lower front teeth. We use these when more than one tooth is missing.
Our Roanoke Space Maintainers Experts Properly Clean the Maintainer
It can take a few days for your child to get used to having the space maintainer in their mouth. We will discuss how to properly clean the maintainer to ensure your smile stays as healthy as possible during treatment. It will be important for your child to pay close attention to brushing and flossing while the space maintainer is in place.
For fixed space maintainers, it is important to avoid sticky, chewy, or sugary foods, especially gum, as they can get stuck in the appliance and loosen it. Children should also avoid playing with the space maintainer to avoid damaging it.
Contact Our Roanoke Space Maintainer Team Now!
It’s important to maintain regular visits so we can monitor the progress of the smile.
Space maintainers help us do exactly what their name implies – hold space for permanent teeth. Your child may be a candidate for one if a baby tooth is lost too early. When we lose baby teeth earlier than normal, the adult teeth can erupt in the incorrect spots, rather than where they should. This can then create a crowded smile, which can lead to the need for orthodontic treatment. Space maintainers can help us prevent this from happening. Contact our kids dentist in Roanoke for more help.
FAQ
Why do children lose their baby teeth?
As your child’s permanent teeth grow in, baby teeth loosen and fall out. This natural process usually starts around age 6 and the final baby teeth should fall out around age 12. Keep in mind that every child’s case is different, and you can consult with a professional if you have any doubts.
What are space maintainers?
Space maintainers for children are appliances used in the mouth to preserve and maintain the proper space needed for teeth to erupt correctly and avoid problems with their alignment, such as crowding.
What special care do space maintainers need?
Keep in mind your child will need space maintainers if they experience premature tooth loss. Your child needs to brush regularly to keep the gum tissue healthy. Likewise, help them avoid chewy candy and gum. If the space maintainer comes loose, there is a risk of swallowing or inhaling the object, so contact the dental health specialist reviewing your child’s case.
Does my child need a space maintainer?
If you are unsure if your child could benefit from a pediatric space maintainer, consult with your pediatric dentist. Specialists recommend using space maintainers when your kid loses a primary tooth before the permanent one is ready to erupt.
