What are space maintainers?
One of the main goals of a pediatric dentist is to ensure the proper growth of your child’s permanent smile. To help reach this goal, we work hard to protect the primary (baby) teeth until they are ready to naturally fall out and make way for the permanent teeth. However, there are some circumstances that cause the primary teeth to fall out early. Generally, this is due to severe tooth decay or dental trauma from accidents. If your child loses a primary tooth prematurely, Dr. Brumbaugh may suggest a space maintainer.
Space maintainers, similar in appearance to dental retainers, are devices used to prevent the natural teeth from shifting and block off the empty space that needs to stay open. The permanent tooth is then able to grow in properly, having the proper amount of space and the correct positioning in your child’s smile. There are many types of space maintainers available; we invite you to contact our dental office today to learn more about each one and how we can help maintain your child’s overall oral health through interceptive orthodontics. Interceptive orthodontics is defined as the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of orthdontic problems. It is a phased treatment that seeks to improve dental structure. We look forward to meeting your family and hope to hear from you soon!
