Correcting oral health issues at an early age is usually the right thing to do. Typically, this is the time the gums and jaws are developing; hence the treatments are less complicated with minimal risks involved. Good oral hygiene habits and dental check-ups should also start in childhood to grow healthy and strong teeth.
Most children are likely to lose their teeth even before their permanent teeth grow, creating issues. To prevent this, space maintainers in Brea can help preserve room for your permanent teeth to emerge. Contact Dental Kidz Club today to find out more about space maintainers.
What are space maintainers?
A space maintainer is a treatment device that conserves the space of a permanent tooth. Usually, when a child loses a tooth before the permanent tooth develops, the other teeth may move into the space left, taking up the room for a permanent tooth to grow.
Your child’s dental provider places the space maintainers in the gap to prevent the rest of the teeth from taking up the space for the permanent tooth.
A child may require a space maintainer for various reasons, including following a tooth loss due to injury or early tooth extraction due to tooth decay or overcrowding.
How do space maintainers work?
Space maintainers provide firm support to the teeth on either side of the gap left from the tooth extraction. When the space is left open, the teeth may bend or drift, leading to an overcrowded jaw, which causes the permanent teeth to grow crooked.
When left unfixed, the situation may require a comprehensive orthodontic treatment in the future, which may have complications and be less effective.
Space maintainers occur as fixed and removable. For a fixed space maintainer, your provider fastens it onto the teeth on both sides of the gap. In comparison, a removable space maintainer appears like a retainer and is joined with a false tooth.
Removable space maintainers are recommendable to older children, while fixed space maintainers are suitable for younger children to prevent them from coming out.
What are the various types of space maintainers?
Your child’s dental provider designs fixed space maintainers to bond perfectly in your child’s mouth, including.
Band and loop
It is a metal wire device secured in place by orthodontic bands. It ensures it leaves space for permanent teeth to emerge. It’s good for children who have lost one or more molars in a row.
Distal shoe appliance
It involves a metal designed as a shoe to fit beside the molar. The device also has a wire extension to stop the teeth on both sides of the space from moving.
Lingual holding arch
This device has a horseshoe form to preserve the gap of the lower back teeth on either side of a dental arch.
Transpalatal arch
Your provider uses this type of space maintainer to conserve room for the back molars.
Contact a pediatric dentist today
Space maintainers help preserve space for permanent tooth development when a child’s tooth falls out before the development of permanent teeth. Call Dental Kidz Club today to understand how the treatment works and how your child will benefit.
