Space maintainers

Boca Raton Pediatric Dentist

What are space maintainers?

A space maintainer is a custom made appliance that can either be removable or fitted permanently in your child’s mouth. The spaced maintainer’s main purpose is to prevent the shifting of surrounding teeth so that the permanent teeth can erupt properly. Space maintainers can help to prevent a variety of orthodontic problems from developing over time. They are often used in conjunction with other orthodontic procedures and treatments.

Why is a space maintainer needed?

The reason a space maintainer may be needed is that your child is currently missing one or more of their baby teeth. When a tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth have a tendency to begin shifting out of place. This can cause the permanent teeth coming down to become crowded and misaligned. To prevent this from happening, a space maintainer is used.

We love Dr. Popper and the whole staff! Dr. Popper has done extractions, sealants and of course the regular cleanings all of it is an amazing and comfortable experience for my 2 girls! I’d give 100 stars!

Brynli Goad

Who is a candidate for space maintainers?

We can examine your child’s teeth to determine if they may need a space maintainer. These space maintainers are incredibly comfortable for your child because they are custom-made just for them. They can help to prevent serious crowding and misalignment that could result in a malocclusion problem. We often recommend these space maintainers as the baby teeth begin to fall out and the permanent teeth are coming into place.

What happens during the procedure for a space maintainer?

To begin, we will custom-fit a space maintainer to your child’s teeth. The maintainer is meant to wrap around the two outermost teeth. There is a space in between the maintainer that prevents the teeth around it from shifting. These maintainers can be removable, allowing your child to take them out as needed to brush and eat. Most often, the maintainer is affixed permanently to the child’s teeth and can be removed once it has served its purpose.

If you think your child might need a space maintainer and want to learn more about the procedure, call us today so that we can get them in for a consultation.