What are Space Maintainers?
Space maintainers are appliances made of metal or plastic that are custom fit to your child’s mouth. They help hold the space for the permanent tooth when a baby tooth has been lost prematurely. If the space is not maintained, adjacent teeth could drift into the opened space preventing the permanent tooth from erupting properly.
Space maintainers are placed to hold open the space left by a loss primary tooth. They steady the remaining teeth, preventing the movement until the permanent tooth takes its natural position in the jaw. Space maintainers are removed once the permanent tooth is near eruption. It is much easier to keep teeth in normal positions with a space maintainer than to move them back in place with orthodontic treatment.
A space maintainer is used to hold space in the jaw for a permanent tooth when a baby tooth has been prematurely lost. If space is not maintained, teeth on either side of the missing tooth can drift into the space and prevent the permanent tooth from erupting. Space maintainers are usually made of metal and are custom made for your child’s mouth.
