We typically use space maintainers on children because they are needed when baby teeth are lost prematurely or permanent teeth come in late. Space maintainers support your child’s mouth until the gaps are filled with their permanent teeth. By implementing this treatment, it ensures the development of these teeth in the correct spots.
We provide adults with space maintainers when you have tooth loss. By using the maintainer, this empty space is kept open for a suitable replacement. If the space is not maintained it is difficult for us to insert a replacement tooth.
If your child’s primary tooth is missing for more than a short period of time, their loose teeth can move into spaces reserved for other teeth. The shifting of other teeth affects the eruption of permanent teeth into the correct spot. With no other place to go these teeth then head into incorrect spaces.
There are two types of space maintainers, removable and fixed.Removable maintainers are made of acrylic. When we place a removable maintainer in your child’s mouth, we use blocks of dental material or artificial teeth to hold the spaces open. If your child has several missing teeth then partial dentures are a good option for a removable maintainer. We suggest this type of maintainer for older children since it requires removal, cleaning and caring
When using a fixed maintainer, it is attached to the neighbouring teeth. The maintainer is attached with dental cement to the teeth beside the gap holding the place open for a new tooth. If there is no back tooth to attach to then a lingual arch wire can be used. This wire wraps around the other teeth to hold them in their spots. The maintainer is fit on the upper or lower jaw, keeping space for front or back teeth. We offer several different options when providing a fixed maintainer. Fixed appliances are custom made as we take an impression of the mouth and send it to the lab to manufacture the product. These types of maintainers are typically made from acrylic with loops or bands constructed out of stainless steel wires holding them in position.
Band-And-Loop Device: A stainless steel wire composition held in place with orthodontic bands allowing the permanent teeth to erupt without blockage. These are used when one or more baby molars are lost in the same dental arch. Distal Shoe Appliance: This appliance is fitted over your baby’s first molar maintaining space for the first permanent molar once the baby tooth is lost. Lingual Holding Arch: This arch is attached to the molars keeping the space for the lower back teeth on both sides. Transpalatal Arch: Fitted on the molars of the upper jaw, it preserves space on both sides of the dental arch and is held in place by wire that is fastened around the adjoining teeth
Now that you know about space maintainers, what are you waiting for? Make sure your child’s teeth come in straight!
When you have a fixed space maintainer placed in your mouth, you need to avoid sticky, chewy foods as these can cause shifting or the maintainer to come completely out of your mouth.
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