White Plains Space Maintainers For Kids

This depends on what type of tooth was lost and when it was lost. Space maintainers are used when primary teeth are lost prematurely. Even though primary teeth are supposed to fall out on their own anyway, they must do so on an appropriate schedule. 

Sometimes children lose a tooth too soon because of tooth decay or dental trauma. The problem here is that this tooth serves an important purpose – to maintain space in the mouth for the eventual eruption of the permanent tooth. 

Without a space maintainer, the surrounding teeth will shift and lean into the space where the tooth used to be. This can cause orthodontic issues and worst of all, block the eruption of the permanent tooth. 

A space maintainer is a stainless steel oral appliance that holds the space of the extracted tooth so an adult successor tooth has space to erupt in the future. Then, it’s removed when the permanent tooth is due to erupt. 

If your child needs an extraction, contact us at Miles of Little Smiles today to schedule a consultation with one of our doctors.

Our Space Maintenance Process: What To Expect

Consultation – During your consultation, Dr. Dee or Dr. Mila will examine your child’s teeth and take x-rays to check on the position of the teeth beneath the gums and how close they are to erupting. A space maintainer is not needed if a permanent tooth will erupt very soon.

Checkups – We will periodically check on your child’s space maintainer to ensure that it’s still fitting properly and to check on the development of the permanent tooth. 

Removal – When it’s time for the permanent tooth to come through or is showing signs of eruption, the space maintainer will be removed.

Benefits Of Space Maintainers For Kids

• Maintain proper arch development
• Prevent orthodontic problems
• Painless and minimally invasive
• Quick and simple placement and removal
• Come in fixed or removable options
• Prevent space loss from shifting teeth

How Long Do Space Maintainers Last?

Space maintainers are made of very strong and durable materials so they will last until the permanent tooth is ready to erupt, at which point it’s time to remove it. Space maintainers are not permanent, they’re just a temporary solution to the problem of a missing tooth in the mouth. Once your permanent tooth is ready to erupt through the gums, you no longer have any need for it to maintain the space in your mouth because your natural tooth will do that. Contact us at Miles of Little Smiles today to schedule a consultation with our doctors.