Oral Space Maintainers, How They’re Used

Most of the time, your children lose baby teeth naturally and at the appropriate time to make room for permanent teeth to come in. Sometimes, however, baby teeth fall out prematurely, leaving a gap in your child’s smile at an inopportune time. This gap can pose the risk of adjacent teeth shifting and blocking the space meant for adult teeth. Space maintainers are devices that your dentist can place in the gap left by baby teeth to reserve that space for adult teeth. At Dreamtime Dentistry, we offer space maintainers to our young patients in Vista, California, to help keep their teeth in proper alignment.

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When Space Maintainers are Needed

Space maintainers are generally used when children lose baby teeth early before their permanent teeth are due to grow in. Our dentists may recommend placing a space maintainer in the gap to keep it open for adult teeth. Your child may lose baby teeth prematurely due to decay, an accidental injury, or a congenital defect. Regardless of the reason, a space maintainer can help keep the remaining baby teeth in alignment until permanent teeth are ready to emerge. 

Types of Space Maintainers

Pediatric space maintainers fall into two categories: fixed and removable:

  • Fixed space maintainers – are semi-permanent fixtures that cover the gap left by missing baby teeth. We may recommend this device if it appears it will take a while for your child’s adult teeth to grow in. Your dentist will choose between four types of fixed space maintainers – crown and loop, distal shoe, lingual and unilateral – to suit your child’s individual dental needs. 
  • Removable space maintainers – are often used when permanent teeth are close to coming in. These devices are custom-made for our pediatric patients and can even be designed with a false tooth to make brushing and flossing easier during the interim period before a permanent tooth comes in.

Space maintainers can help make the transition between baby teeth to permanent teeth go smoother. To learn more about these devices and their use, contact Dreamtime Dentistry in Vista, CA, at (760) 274-0993.