Space Maintainers
"Space maintainers are needed when a baby tooth is lost but the permanent tooth is not ready to come into the mouth." While losing baby teeth is a normal part of childhood, losing them too early — before the permanent tooth below is ready to erupt — can set off a chain of dental problems that is far more costly to correct later. At Sacramento Holistic Dentist in Carmichael, CA, Dr. Yana Pekarski helps families from Sacramento, Carmichael, Roseville, and Folsom protect their children's dental development with timely, preventive care.
Why Space Maintainers Are Important
Teeth naturally migrate toward gaps in the dental arch. When a baby tooth is lost prematurely — due to decay, trauma, or infection requiring extraction — the neighboring teeth on either side begin to slowly drift into the empty space. By the time the permanent tooth below is finally ready to erupt (which may be months or even years later), there may no longer be adequate room. The result is crowding, impaction, or misalignment that may require braces, extractions, or other costly orthodontic intervention down the road.
A space maintainer is a simple, preventive dental appliance that holds the gap open — preserving exactly the right amount of space for the incoming permanent tooth. It is one of the most cost-effective interventions in pediatric dentistry, potentially preventing thousands of dollars in future orthodontic work.
Types of Space Maintainers
Space maintainers can be fixed (cemented to adjacent teeth) or removable, and unilateral (one side) or bilateral (both sides), depending on which teeth were lost and the child's cooperation level. Dr. Pekarski will recommend the most appropriate type after evaluating your child's specific situation and reviewing dental X-rays.
What Are Space Maintainers Made Of?
Space maintainers are made of stainless steel — a strong, durable material that has been used safely in pediatric dentistry for decades and is well tolerated by children. Dr. Pekarski will walk you through the appliance and answer any questions you have about it before treatment.
Why Choose Sacramento Holistic Dentist for Your Child's Dental Care
Dr. Pekarski trained at UCLA School of Dentistry and has been caring for pediatric patients for 20 years. Our Carmichael practice is a welcoming, gentle environment where children feel safe. We explain every procedure at a child's level and take time to build trust. Space maintainers are one part of our broader commitment to guiding children's dental development from early childhood through adolescence. See also our pediatric dentistry and adolescent dentistry pages for the full scope of care we provide for young patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common causes are untreated decay leading to infection, traumatic injury to the tooth, or in some cases, a congenitally missing permanent tooth beneath (meaning the baby tooth has nothing to push it out naturally).
Not necessarily — it depends on which tooth was lost, the child's age, and how close the permanent tooth is to erupting. Dr. Pekarski evaluates each case individually. Front teeth (incisors) often do not require maintainers; back teeth (molars and premolars) almost always do when lost early.
There is a brief adjustment period of a few days, similar to wearing braces or retainers for the first time. Most children adapt quickly and stop noticing the appliance.
When the permanent tooth begins to erupt through the gum and is ready to occupy its space. We monitor progress with periodic dental X-rays and remove the maintainer at the right moment to allow natural eruption.
For fixed maintainers, your child should avoid sticky or hard foods that could dislodge the appliance, and brush carefully around it twice daily. We will review specific care instructions at the delivery appointment.