Space Maintainers Q&A
What Are Space Maintainers?
If your child loses a tooth before a permanent tooth grows in to replace it, your provider at Dental Kidz Club uses a space maintainer — an orthodontic device — to prevent the remaining teeth from moving into the gap left behind by the removed tooth. Maintaining this gap is essential as the permanent tooth needs to have space to erupt once it’s ready.
A child may need a space maintainer for several reasons, including tooth loss because of injury or trauma, or early tooth extraction because of tooth decay or overcrowding.
How Do Space Maintainers Work?
Space maintainers steady the teeth on either side of the gap left by the extracted tooth. Without it, the teeth could drift or tilt, creating an overcrowded jaw, which means permanent teeth come in crooked. This can lead to extensive orthodontic treatment when your child is older.
Space maintainers are either fixed or removable. A fixed space maintainer is cemented onto the teeth on either side of the gap and can be removed only by your dentist. A removable space maintainer resembles a retainer and may have a false tooth attached.
Removable space maintainers are more suited to older children, while fixed space maintainers are typically used for younger children so they can’t accidentally pull it out.
What Happens If My Child Doesn’t Use Space Maintainers?
Space maintainers steady the teeth on either side of the gap left by the extracted tooth. Without it, the teeth could drift or tilt, creating an overcrowded jaw, which means permanent teeth come in crooked. This can lead to extensive orthodontic treatment when your child is older.
Space maintainers are either fixed or removable. A fixed space maintainer is cemented onto the teeth on either side of the gap and can be removed only by your dentist. A removable space maintainer resembles a retainer and may have a false tooth attached.
Removable space maintainers are more suited to older children, while fixed space maintainers are typically used for younger children so they can’t accidentally pull it out.
What Are The Different Types Of Space Maintainers?
Fixed space maintainers are custom-made and fitted to your child’s mouth. There are several different types available.
Band-and-loop
A band-and-loop device is a metal wire held in place with orthodontic bands, which leaves the permanent tooth room to erupt. It’s suitable for when a child loses one or more molars in one dental arch.
Distal shoe appliance
This device has a metal “shoe” that fits over the adjacent molar and a wire extension that prevents the teeth on either side of the gap from closing in.
Lingual holding arch
A lingual holding arch is a horseshoe-shaped device that maintains space for the lower back teeth on both sides of a dental arch.
Transpalatal arch
A transpalatal arch fits onto the upper dental arch and maintains space for the back molars.
Space maintainers are an effective, inexpensive, and gentle way of maintaining aligned teeth. If your child needs one, the team at Dental Kidz Club can talk you through your options. Call your nearest office today to book an appointment
How Long Does My Child Have to Wear Space Maintainers?
Ideally, a child will wear their space maintainer until their permanent tooth can come in to fill the empty space. While waiting for a permanent tooth to come in can take months or even years, depending on when they lost the tooth, keeping their space maintainers in for that time will prevent overcrowding and promote even spacing. Depending on the type of spacers your child has, some spacers may pop out naturally or require orthodontic removal. For example, metal spring-type spacers will have to be removed when the adult tooth starts growing in. Acrylic spacers are pushed out on their own by incoming permanent teeth.
What Other Treatments Are Space Maintainers Used For?
Other than holding the space of an incoming adult tooth, space maintainers can also be used to prevent malocclusion, or the imperfect positioning of teeth when the jaw is closed. Additionally, space maintainers can help with overcrowding, and even hold the space for baby teeth lost during injury.
Do Space Maintainers Come Off Before Braces?
Yes. For some orthodontic patients, space maintainers are required before beginning treatment for braces. If that is the case, the spacers will be removed after adequate time has passed. Patients will typically have spacers for about a week to two weeks before getting their actual braces. Some patients only need spacers for just three days.
How Do You Clean Removable Space Maintainers?
Keeping your child’s space maintainers clean is important. Teaching your child to brush and floss properly around their space maintainer after each meal not only develops healthy habits but can also prevent plaque buildup and prevent decay on the teeth surrounding the spacers. Carefully clean all wires, bands, and other areas of the spacer to remove any leftover food and bacteria left behind from eating.
Book Online
Ready to help give your child the smile of their dreams? Click here or call one of our office locations in Perris, Brea, Corona, Covina, Chino, Ontario, and Riverside, California, to request an appointment and begin your child’s preventive care today.
What We Offer
Services
Emergency Dentistry
Pediatric Dentistry
Teen Dentistry
Early Dental Care
Sedation Dentistry
Nitrous Oxide
Silver Diamine Flouride
