White Plains Space Maintainers For Kids

A space maintainer is an oral appliance that is placed around a tooth to hold a space open in the mouth where a tooth is missing. Tooth loss in children may seem like no big deal when it’s a baby tooth but just because these teeth are supposed to fall out naturally doesn’t mean that it doesn’t matter when or how this happens. 

Losing a tooth too soon can cause many problems, such as shifting teeth, impaction of the permanent teeth, difficulty eating or speaking, and bone loss. When a tooth falls out or is extracted before the tooth is due to naturally fall out, a space maintainer needs to be placed to prevent the other teeth from drifting into the space where your permanent tooth is supposed to erupt. 

Shifting teeth can also cause orthodontic problems like crooked teeth. Since your child’s baby teeth act as natural space maintainers, when they are lost, our White Plains team needs to place an appliance in the mouth to perform this job and prevent issues with the eruption of the permanent tooth. This can then be removed when the permanent tooth is ready to erupt.

Our Space Maintenance Process: What To Expect

Consultation – During your consultation, Dr. Mila Belgrade 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.

Placement of Space Maintainer – Most space maintainers are in a band and loop style, where a stainless steel band or crown is placed over the tooth adjacent to the gap and a wire holds the gap open, preventing the other teeth from moving over. This device is carefully placed over the tooth and only takes about 30 minutes. 

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 tooth development
• Prevent orthodontic problems
• Painless and minimally invasive
• Quick and simple installation and removal
• Come in fixed or removable options
• Prevent damage to teeth 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 in White Plains today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mila Belgrade.