Space Maintainers
At Lake Ridge Pediatric & Adult Dentistry, we closely track your child's dental development to identify and address any potential concerns as early as possible. This includes monitoring how teeth grow in and align. If your child loses a tooth sooner than expected, our experienced team can provide a space maintainer to help guide healthy dental growth.
What Are Space Maintainers?
Space maintainers are small dental appliances that help preserve the space needed for adult teeth to come in correctly. They are available as both fixed (permanent) and removable (temporary) devices. Our pediatric dental specialists carefully assess your child's unique dental needs to determine which type of space maintainer is most appropriate.
When Are Space Maintainers Recommended?
We usually recommend space maintainers when a child loses a primary (baby) tooth prematurely. This early loss can happen for several reasons, such as:
- Severe tooth decay or infection
- Injury or trauma to the mouth
- Underlying medical conditions
- Missing teeth from birth
Primary teeth are essential for more than just chewing; they also act as natural guides for permanent teeth, making sure adult teeth emerge in the correct positions. Losing baby teeth too soon can allow neighboring teeth to shift into the empty space, causing permanent teeth to come in crooked or misaligned. By placing a space maintainer, we help ensure that your child's permanent teeth have enough room to grow in properly and maintain a healthy, well-aligned smile.
