Space Maintainers

Helping Little Smiles Grow In Virginia Beach

If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, meaning it falls out or is extracted before its natural time, it can lead to several potential dental issues and complications. These issues can impact a child’s oral health and overall well-being and may necessitate dental interventions. Space maintainers are essential devices that can make a significant difference in your child’s dental development. These devices can help fill the gap left by a lost baby tooth and help prevent misalignment of the erupting permanent teeth.

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What Are Space Maintainers?

Space maintainers are custom-made dental appliances designed to preserve the gap left by a prematurely lost primary tooth. In a child’s growing mouth, these spaces are essential for the eruption of permanent teeth. When a primary tooth is lost due to decay, trauma or extraction, it can lead to several issues if the space is not maintained. At Beach Kids Dentistry in Virginia Beach, VA, we closely monitor the growth of your child’s smile throughout each stage of child development and can determine if your child is a good candidate for these appliances.

Importance of Space Maintainers

In addition to making space for erupting permanent teeth, there are several other key reasons why these appliances may be recommended. These include:

Preventing misalignment: One of the primary functions of these appliances is to prevent the surrounding teeth from shifting into the vacant space. When adjacent teeth begin to drift into the space, it can result in misalignment, crowding or improper eruption of permanent teeth. Space maintainers act as placeholders, ensuring that your child’s permanent teeth have the room they need to grow in correctly.
Maintaining functionality: A child’s primary teeth play a crucial role in biting, chewing and speaking. Premature loss of a primary tooth can affect these functions. By placing these appliances, they can help to maintain these essential functions until the permanent teeth are ready to take over.
Preventing orthodontic issues: Properly spaced primary teeth are essential for proper orthodontic development. When primary teeth are lost prematurely, it can lead to orthodontic problems in the future, requiring extensive or complex treatment.

Types of Space Maintainers At Beach Kids Dentistry

There are two primary types of this appliance used here at Beach Kids Dentistry. These are:

Band & Loop: This type of unilateral space maintainer is used to save the space of a single tooth. The appliance is created in a single appointment as a chairside procedure.
Lower Lingual Holding Arch: This is a bilateral space maintainer appliance used when a patient has lost more than one tooth in an arch. The appliance is custom-fitted to your child and fabricated in a dental lab. Your child will need multiple appointments for this procedure.

What To Expect

During your child’s appointment at Beach Kids Dentistry, our team will evaluate your child’s smile and determine if these appliances are necessary. If needed, we will take impressions of your child’s mouth to create custom appliances that fit comfortably. The process is designed to be as painless and stress-free as possible for both you and your child. Once the appliances have been placed, your child’s dentist will educate you and your child on care instructions and best practices to ensure the long-term success of the maintainer.

Caring for Space Maintainers

Proper care and maintenance are essential to ensure the effectiveness of these appliances. Regular dental check-ups are crucial to monitor the progress and condition of the maintainer. Our team will provide you with guidance on cleaning and maintaining the device to prevent any complications. Some care instructions may include: thoroughly brushing and flossing to remove food particles and bacteria from the appliance, avoiding pushing or pulling on the appliance, avoiding hard or sticky foods that could get stuck in the appliance and more.

Shellar Smiles For Kids Of All Ages In Virginia Beach

At Beach Kids Dentistry, we are committed to providing the best care for your child’s dental needs, including the use of space maintainers when necessary. To learn more about these appliances and how they can benefit your child, please schedule an appointment with us. We look forward to helping your child maintain a healthy and beautiful smile throughout their journey to adulthood!

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Sea The Beach Kids Dentistry Difference

We believe that a lifetime of healthy smiles begins with a positive and fun dental experience. Our kid-friendly office and experienced pediatric dentists are here to provide compassionate, patient-focused and specialized pediatric dental care.

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