Space Maintenance Baby teeth are not permanent. That does not mean that they should come out before their time. Most of the time, a tooth will come out when the new tooth is about to erupt (come in). Sometimes, though, a baby tooth will no longer be there, but the new tooth is not yet on the way. It is important to keep that space open. Here at NC Pediatric Dentistry, we will do that by using an appliance known as a space maintainer.Some Basic Information on Space MaintainersSpace maintainers can be important for a child who has lost a tooth too soon. Sometimes the tooth may have come out because of a trauma to the face. Other times, the tooth may have been extracted by us because of decay. Either way, we will want to make sure that the space stays open until the new tooth erupts. If the space is not kept open, the other teeth in your child's mouth could shift. That would cause more problems when the permanent teeth come in. There are different types of space maintainers. The first one is removable. It is similar to a retainer. Your child will need to wear the space maintainer most of the time, but he or she will be able to take it out. This is more often used for children who are a little bit older and who will follow your directions. The second type of space maintainer is fixed. This is not removable. There are different types of fixed space maintainers. The type that we will use for your child will depend on where the tooth is missing. No matter what type of space maintainer your child has, it is important that the two of you together take good care of it. Stay away from sticky foods, and chewing gum should not be allowed. Make sure that your child realizes that he or she should not play with the space maintainer with their tongue. Brushing and flossing are essential. We will go over the proper techniques with you and your child. Your child might be a bit apprehensive or upset about the space maintainer, but make sure that he or she knows that it is only temporary. It is also important that you reassure your child. Children need to know that they are not different and that there is nothing wrong. Let your child know that the space maintainer will make sure that he or she will have a beautiful, healthy smile. If your child is missing a tooth and the new one is not ready to come in, a space maintainer can help to keep the other teeth in place. If the teeth are allowed to shift, it will lead to other problems once the adult teeth erupt. Here at NC Pediatric Dentistry, we want to prevent that from happening. A space maintainer will take care of the problem. If your child is missing a tooth too soon, call us at tbd right away. We want to see what is going on. |
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