Space Maintainers

When a child loses a baby tooth, a new tooth should be ready to grow in behind it. If the new tooth isn’t ready, the gap where the tooth used to be could lead to problems. If your child has recently lost a baby tooth prematurely, and the new tooth isn’t ready to grow in yet, your child’s dentist in Oklahoma City and Midwest City, OK, may recommend a space maintainer. This device can help your child maintain sufficient space for a new tooth to grow in when the time comes.

What Is a Space Maintainer?

A space maintainer is a device that holds the teeth in the mouth apart to make way for the permanent tooth that has yet to come in. There are several different types of space maintainers. Your child’s pediatric dentist can tell you what type of maintainer is right for your child.

Different Types of Space Maintainers

Some space maintainers are removable, and some are permanently installed until it’s time for the new tooth to grow in. Some common types of space maintainers include:

• Unilateral
• Crown and loop
• Lingual
• Distal shoe

Why Are Space Maintainers Helpful?

Space maintainers prevent the teeth that are in the mouth from crowding the permanent tooth that has yet to grow in. Space maintainers can prevent problems like crooked teeth once the permanent teeth grow in.

What to Do If Your Child Needs a Space Maintainer

If your child has lost a baby tooth before the permanent tooth had time to grow in, see your child’s pediatric dentist. Your child’s dentist can help you decide whether a space maintainer is right for your child and, if so, what type.

Contact Smiling Faces Pediatric Dentistry Today

Have questions about space maintainers in Oklahoma City and Midwest City, OK? Call Smiling Faces Pediatric Dentistry to learn more or make an appointment.