Space maintainers are needed when a baby tooth is lost but the permanent tooth is not ready to come into the mouth. Teeth naturally move towards the midline, and when a tooth is extracted early, the risk is that the tooth behind it will shift and tilt towards the space that is created. As a result, there will not be enough room for the permanent tooth to come in (because baby teeth keep the space required for permanent teeth). If a space maintainer is not used, it will often result in crowding of the permanent teeth when they do come in. Crowding can make it more difficult to brush and to floss teeth, and may necessitate the need for orthodontic treatment in the future.
FAQ’S
Space maintainers are applied on a patient when they prematurely lose a baby tooth and the permanent tooth is not yet ready to come out.
Losing the baby teeth will make way for the set of permanent teeth, which are stronger and more durable for biting.
If your child loses a baby tooth prematurely, chance are, their permanent teeth is not yet ready to come out. As such, it may affect the spacing within, which may cause a shift and tilt towards the space that is created.
Wearing a space maintainer will help prevent overcrowding of the permanent teeth once they are ready to come out.
To maintain your space maintainers, follow-up check-ups may be requested by your dentist. Over time, the space maintainers will need adjustments as your permanent teeth come out.