What Are The Different Types Of Space Maintainers?
In pediatric dentistry, space maintainers function as orthodontic appliances. The primary function of space maintainers is managing premature baby tooth loss. In addition, these appliances help avoid malocclusion, overcrowding, and other orthodontic imperfections.
If your child loses teeth prematurely, the pediatric dentist near me recommends space maintainers to ensure permanent teeth do not emerge into the vacant space left by the missing tooth. The reason for the tooth loss doesn’t matter, whether it is due to injuries, overcrowding, tooth decay, or infections.
Premature loss of baby teeth results in abnormal development of the upper and lower jaws. Therefore, monitoring the shedding of baby teeth and the emergence of permanent teeth is crucial because the chances of misalignment developing and this mixed dentition phase remain high.
Reasons for Treatment with Space Maintainers
Children might need treatment with space maintainers if they are affected by early childhood caries or tooth loss due to trauma or if they have over-retained baby teeth. Tooth decay is a leading cause of baby teeth falling prey to disease resulting in extractions. In addition, children’s molars commonly become the victim of cavities because the baby tooth enamel is more fragile than permanent teeth.
Although baby teeth are expected to fall out, it is vital to care for them and prevent infections as best possible. If a tooth becomes infected and doesn’t receive prompt treatment, the cavity-causing bacteria spread to the remaining teeth. Children developing cavities on their baby teeth are restored to prevent the spread of decay, early tooth loss, misalignment, and overcrowding.
Baby teeth are restored using a silver amalgam of composite fillings or stainless steel crowns. Unfortunately, if your child must have a tooth extracted because of severe decay getting them space maintainers near me to prevent misalignment or overcrowding is recommended by pediatric dentists.
Sometimes children can also over-retain baby teeth to result in orthodontic problems. Space maintainers also prevent issues with over-retained baby teeth. Over retained need extractions to prevent crowding from developing because the condition doesn’t leave sufficient space for the other teeth to emerge. Chances of permanent teeth growing over the baby teeth also remain.
When recommended space maintainers for your child, you might wonder what appliances suit your child the best. However, instead of stressing yourself and determining which space maintainer your child will receive, you benefit by seeking help from the pediatric dentist providing space maintainers in Bloomfield, CT, for best results.
There are different types of space maintainers recommended for children. However, some common varieties are mentioned herein for your reference.
Fixed Unilateral Devices:
Fixed unilateral appliances help maintain space on just one side of the mouth. Familiar appliances include the band and loop maintainer besides the distal shoe.
The band and loop space maintainer is the most common among fixed unilateral appliances positioned on one side of the mouth. These appliances help maintain space after your child loses their primary molars or after the eruption of the first molar between six and seven. In addition, band and loop space maintainers help maintain space after premature loss of primary or second molars.
Another fixed appliance is the distal shoe space maintainer. These are similar to the band and loop maintainer and positioned on one side of the mouth. Distal shoe maintainers help maintain space after losing the primary second molars before the eruption of the first molar around six or seven.
Fixed Bilateral Devices:
Another category of space maintainers includes fixed bilateral appliances. The placement of these devices occurs after tooth loss happens on both sides of the mouth. The family types of bilateral devices include transpalatal arch, lingual arch, and Nance arch.
The transpalatal arch represents a bilateral appliance that helps maintain space after teeth in the upper jaw are lost on both sides.
Lingual arches are bilateral appliances that connect two primary molars in the upper and lower jaws.
The Nance arch with an acrylic button rests on the palatal rugae to connect two primary molars in the upper or lower jaws. This appliance is best suited for the upper dental arch because of its unique feature. The Nance arch helps prevent misalignment of permanent molars to maintain the overall length of the dental arch.
If your kid loses primary teeth prematurely, you find it beneficial to visit Bloomfield Pediatric Dentistry to determine which space maintainer best suits their needs. The pediatric dentist in Bloomfield provides appropriate advice to ensure your child doesn’t confront unwanted complications as they grow up.