Space Maintainers

Losing a primary tooth earlier than expected can affect teeth alignment.

Without intervention, the adjacent teeth might shift into the empty space, potentially leading to crowding or alignment issues with permanent teeth.

Space maintainers are small, customized appliances designed to hold space until the adult teeth erupt, supporting a healthy dental arch and alignment.

We offer space maintainers at our pediatric dental office in Southwest Ranches, FL.

Reasons for Early Tooth Loss

Losing a primary tooth earlier than expected can happen for various reasons, including:

• Tooth decay: Cavities that progress untreated can lead to the premature loss of a baby tooth.
• Injury or trauma: Accidents or falls can cause a tooth to be knocked out or damaged beyond repair.
• Congenital conditions: Some children may be born without certain teeth or with conditions that affect tooth development.
• Gum disease: In rare cases, infections affecting the gums and bone can lead to early tooth loss.

Extracting (or removing) a baby tooth is always the last resort; our goal is to preserve the tooth whenever possible to support proper oral development. However, if a tooth is extracted, we will recommend a space maintainer to hold the space and prevent alignment issues until the permanent tooth erupts.

Types of Space Maintainers

We offer several types of space maintainers. Each is tailored to address different needs, ensuring proper dental development and alignment.

Band and Loop Space Maintainer

• Design: This appliance consists of a small metal band that wraps securely around a neighboring tooth. A thin loop of stainless steel extends into the gap left by the missing tooth, holding the space open for the permanent tooth.
• Benefits: Simple and effective for managing space on one side of the dental arch (unilateral).
• Placement: The band is cemented onto an adjacent tooth, and the loop is carefully adjusted to fit the gap securely.

Distal Shoe Space Maintainer

• Design: A metal band is fitted around a primary molar, with a flat extension placed under the gum line to guide the eruption of the permanent molar into its correct position.
• Benefits: Prevents the permanent molar from drifting out of place. Requires close monitoring by our pediatric dentists.
• Placement: The band is cemented to the primary molar, and the extension is carefully positioned under the gum during placement.

Nance Space Maintainer

• Design: This appliance is anchored using stainless steel bands around the upper back molars. A small, smooth acrylic pad rests on the roof of the mouth, providing additional support by distributing pressure evenly across the upper dental arch.
• Benefits: Ideal for maintaining space when multiple teeth are missing in the upper arch. The acrylic pad prevents teeth from drifting inward and helps keep the arch space intact.
• Placement: The bands are cemented to the back molars, and the acrylic pad is custom-molded to fit comfortably against the roof of the mouth.

Lower Lingual Holding Arch (LLHA)

• Design: This appliance uses two stainless steel bands secured around the lower molars. A sturdy metal wire connects the bands and runs along the inner side of the lower teeth, ensuring the alignment and spacing of the dental arch.
• Benefits: Effective for maintaining bilateral space in the lower dental arch, particularly when multiple primary teeth are missing.
• Placement: The bands are cemented onto the lower molars, and the wire is adjusted to rest comfortably along the inside of the lower teeth.

The placement of band and loop and distal shoes space maintainers is typically completed in a single visit. Nance and Lower Lingual Holding Arch space maintainers require a mold of the teeth to be taken to be sent to lab for fabrication then arrive back to the office to be cemented and take approximately two appointments.

Habit Appliances: Tongue Crib

In addition to dental space maintainers, we offer habit appliances like the tongue crib. This appliance helps address habits like thumb sucking or tongue thrusting that can impact oral health and alignment.

• Design: A metal framework placed behind the upper teeth, designed with small barriers to prevent the thumb from resting comfortably on the roof of the mouth or the tongue from pressing against the front teeth.
• Purpose: Prevents the thumb from resting on roof of mouth and the tongue from pressing against the front teeth.
• Benefits: Reduces the risk of alignment issues caused by harmful oral habits.

Comparison of Space Maintainers

Caring for Space Maintainers

Space maintainers are not removable and require a bit of extra care. The dentist will remove the appliance once the permanent tooth is erupting into the oral cavity. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 

1. Be diligent about oral hygiene. Brush twice a day and floss at least one. If your child struggles to floss around the appliance, consider investing in a water flosser. Brushing and flossing regularly will prevent plaque from building up around the appliance. 
2. Schedule regular checkups with our pediatric dentists to monitor progress and ensure the appliance remains secure. Your dentist will determine when they need to remove the space maintainer.
3. Avoid sticky or hard foods that could damage the space maintainer or cause discomfort.

Protect Your Child’s Smile With a Space Maintainer

A space maintainer helps preserve your child’s dental health after losing a primary tooth. It’s a simple and effective way to ensure that permanent teeth have the proper space to grow in, preventing future alignment problems and the need for extensive orthodontic treatments.