When a child loses one of their baby teeth early, they may need a  space maintainer. However, parents can be concerned that a space maintainer could lead to more oral health problems, such as cavities.

So naturally, you may be wondering if a space maintainer is truly necessary. After all, that baby tooth was supposed to fall out sooner or later anyway.

Well, space maintainers can play a huge role in your child’s proper oral health development. Check out this short blog post to understand why your little one might need a space maintainer.

A space maintainer is a type of oral appliance used to maintain the distance between two baby teeth after the one in between falls out ahead of schedule.

When baby teeth are naturally ready to fall out, the permanent ones are ready to take their place. Baby teeth start to loosen because the adult teeth start growing and slowly dissolve the primary tooth’s root.

But if the baby tooth falls out because of an accident, the other teeth will start moving to compensate for the extra space. As a result, the permanent tooth won’t have enough space to grow, leading to alignment issues that will need orthodontic treatment.

If a child loses a primary tooth, they may need one of the following space maintainers:

These are all types of fixed space maintainers, which are commonly recommended for younger children. Removable maintainers require better patient compliance, so dentists usually recommend them for older children.

Neither removable nor fixed space maintainers will cause cavities. However, they can make oral hygiene a bit more complicated, which can increase the risk of cavities.

Removable spacers are a bit easier to maintain since the child can take them out, brush their teeth, and place them back in. However, even with fixed maintainers, it’s still possible to properly clean the teeth. 

Parents will just have to help their children properly brush and floss around the spacers to ensure all food particles and debris are removed.

Has one of your child's baby teeth fall out early? They might then require space maintainers. Your child's smile will develop happily and healthily if you use the spacer recommended by our Board Certified pediatric dentist in Musc.

To get started, get in touch with the 24/7 Local Dentist, PLC team online, or call us at (833) 220-2448 for a short chat.