Space Maintenance
Space Maintenance
One of the most important functions of baby teeth is leading the way for the adult teeth to follow. Each baby tooth creates and maintains a space which will one day hold an adult tooth. Normally, your child's baby teeth will not fall out until the permanent ones are ready to erupt. But occasionally, due to an unfortunate accident or tooth decay, a baby tooth may fall out or must be removed before the adult tooth is ready. Whenever a baby tooth is prematurely missing, to proactively prevent problems with the future adult tooth, West Mobile Children’s Dentistry may recommend a space maintainer.
Space Maintainers Play an Important Role
A space maintainer is a small appliance custom-made to fit your child's teeth. Its job is to keep the space left by that missing tooth open and ready for the permanent tooth to emerge. The space maintainer will be cemented in place and is not to be removed by the patient. In that role, it will take the place of that missing baby tooth until the new tooth has time to develop and erupt.
Different types of space maintainers exist, and the correct one will be chosen depending on the position of the lost tooth and on your child's development. Your dentist can show you the type of space maintainer recommended and answer any questions regarding its care.
Your Child’s Dental Health is Paramount
At West Mobile Children’s Dentistry, we understand how important it is to keep children’s mouths healthy and we will teach both you and them the habits that will preserve their teeth for a lifetime. We are proud to offer the best in children’s dental care!