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Orthodontic Space Maintainers

The Importance of Space Maintainers: Preserving Precious Smiles.

Ensuring the proper development of a child’s teeth is crucial for their long-term oral health and smile aesthetics. Orthodontic space maintainers play a vital role in preserving the natural alignment of teeth and preventing future complications in the teenage years and beyond.

Understanding Orthodontic Space Maintainers

Orthodontic space maintainers are custom-made dental appliances designed to preserve the spaces left by prematurely lost baby teeth. When a primary (baby) tooth is lost before its natural successor is ready to erupt, adjacent teeth may shift into the vacant space, causing misalignment issues and blocking the natural eruption of the adult tooth (impaction). Space maintainers help prevent this by holding the space until the permanent tooth is ready to emerge.

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Space maintainers come in all shapes and sizes. They can be removable or non-removable (fixed). All space maintainers can be customized to the unique needs of the patient.

Fixed Space Maintainers:

Band-and-Loop:

Consists of a metal band fitted around an adjacent tooth with a wire loop extending into the space to hold it.

Crown and Loop:

Similar to band-and-loop it involves placing a crown on the adjacent tooth with a wire loop extending into the space.

Distal Shoe:

When the first permanent molar is missing, this device prevents the second primary molar from shifting into the space.

Transpalatal Arch (TPA):

Fixed stainless steel molar bands on upper adult first molars, connected by a stainless steel transpalatal arch (‘rainbow’) helps to hold the position of BOTH upper adult first molars. The TPA can be a passive or mildly active appliance.

Lingual Arch:

Fixed stainless steel molar bands on lower adult first molars, connected by a stainless steel lingual arch that gently rests behind the lower incisors. This helps to prevent the BOTH lower molars from moving forwards adn maintains the arch length for future adult teeth.

Removable Space Maintainers:

Partial Dentures: Removable appliances fill the space left by missing teeth, preventing adjacent teeth from shifting.

Removable Clear Aligners / Retainers with Artificial Teeth:

Removable clear retainers or aligners that include artificial teeth to maintain space and guide eruption.

The Importance of Space Maintenance

Preventing Misalignment:

Space maintainers help avoid misalignment issues that may arise due to premature tooth loss, ensuring proper spacing for permanent teeth.

Preserving Oral Function:

Maintaining proper tooth spacing contributes to the bite’s effective functioning, preventing chewing and speech issues.

Avoiding Orthodontic Complications:

Timely use of space maintainers can reduce the likelihood of future orthodontic problems requiring more extensive and costly treatments.

Promoting Facial Aesthetics:

Preserving natural tooth alignment supports the development of a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing smile.

There is a need to balance the need for an orthodontic space maintainer with how fast the adult tooth will erupt. Determining the need for a space maintainer involves a thorough examination by an experienced orthodontist to avoid wasting money or missing the opportunity to prevent future problems. The Orthodontic Team at MyBracesClinic will determine:

  • How long before the affected adult tooth erupts
  • How much space has already been lost
  • Does space need to be regained BEFORE the space maintainer is inserted
  • Available tooth structure for space maintainer fabrication
  • What is the most efficient and discreet space maintainer to design

Suppose the baby tooth has NOT been taken out yet but is badly broken down and cannot last long. In that case, our Orthodontic Team will quickly do an intraoral scan of the affected area using the iTero scanner to create a 3D image of the affected area. NO more goopy impressions (yuck!). This is completely light-based, and NO radiation is involved.

From .stl files created by the iTero scanner, we will 3D print out your child’s teeth models to custom fabricate the space maintainer. This is all done BEFORE the bad baby tooth is removed to ensure no space is lost. Once the broken-down baby tooth is removed, the space maintainer is then cemented in place.

Suppose there is already a loss of space for the next adult tooth. In that case, MyBracesClinic’s Orthodontic Team will decide how much space to regain BEFORE space maintainer insertion via a detailed space analysis.

Regular Check-ups:

Periodic dental visits are essential to monitor the condition of the space maintainer and ensure its effectiveness. Periodic adjustments to the space maintainer may be needed to accommodate the changing oral landscape as permanent teeth emerge.

Maintaining Oral Hygiene:

Proper oral hygiene practices, including regular brushing and flossing, help prevent complications and ensure the longevity of the space maintainer.

Conclusion

Orthodontic space maintainers play a pivotal role in safeguarding a child’s oral health by preserving spaces for permanent teeth. If your child has experienced premature tooth loss, consult with us at MyBracesClinic to explore the potential benefits of space maintainers. Taking proactive steps can contribute to the long-term health and alignment of your child’s precious smile.

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