A child may need a space maintainer after losing a baby tooth early or having one pulled ahead of time because of tooth decay. In these cases, it is important to understand how a space maintainer benefits your child's teeth
A space maintainer is an appliance made of acrylic or metal and custom made for each child. It can be removable or fixed to the dental arch, and its purpose is to hold the space open so the permanent tooth comes in in the right position. Baby teeth are very important for the development of the teeth, the jawbone and the chewing muscles, and in particular they guide the permanent teeth into the right position when the baby teeth fall out.
If a baby tooth is lost early and the gap is not maintained, the neighboring teeth shift and tilt toward the empty space, which affects how the permanent teeth come in later.
Not every child who loses a baby tooth early needs a space maintainer, so talk to your dentist before deciding on one for your child. Parents can look up the typical ages at which teeth come in and are replaced in the sections Baby tooth eruption age and Permanent tooth eruption age on the website dento.vn
There are 2 types of space maintainers: removable and fixed
1. Removable: a removable space maintainer is similar to an orthodontic appliance and is usually made of acrylic. In some cases, an artificial tooth can be used as a temporary stand-in for a tooth that has not come in yet.
2. Fixed: there are 4 main types of fixed space maintainers: unilateral, crown and loop, distal shoe and lingual arch.
Unilateral and crown and loop: placed on one side of the dental arch to hold the space for 1 tooth. The unilateral type has a band around the neighboring tooth, connected to a metal loop across the gap. The crown and loop replaces the band with a steel crown, like an ordinary dental crown.
Distal shoe: usually used to hold the space for the first permanent molar. It is more complex than the other types because it has a metal end anchored in the gum to hold the space at the back for tooth 6. The dentist will need to monitor this molar as it comes in, to make sure it erupts correctly along the guide of the space maintainer.
Lingual arch: usually used to hold space on both sides for the back teeth, connected by a wire arch along the inside of the front teeth. It is typically used when more than 2 gaps need to be preserved.
Sometimes a child is born with missing teeth and may need an artificial tooth on a retaining appliance. That is why parents should talk with the dentist to find the best treatment plan.
WEARING A SPACE MAINTAINER
When your child first gets a space maintainer, whether removable or fixed, it will take some time to get used to it. Parents should also bring their child in for regular checkups so the dentist can monitor how well the appliance is working, as well as how well the child is keeping their teeth clean.
The dentist will also show your child how to brush and floss in a way that suits them.
With a fixed space maintainer, limit sticky and sugary foods such as chewing gum and candy, because they can loosen the appliance.
Your child needs regular checkups so the dentist can follow the progress of the treatment and how well the space maintainer is working, and adjust it when needed.
Source: Colgate Professional