I started this site to help you have a better understanding of dentistry so that you can make informed decisions regarding your dental treatment. It has been 5 years since she lost a tooth but her X-rays show the permanent teeth are in place and getting close. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Still have questions? Is a space maintainer necessary? There are big expectations of the baby teeth of children. Only a health professional that is examining you in person, with a patient-doctor relationship can truly understand your unique situation. During a doctor’s visit, your oral health specialist will place the spacers between your teeth to prepare them for braces. The dentist had put a stainless cap on it which later became infected (blister at gum). Child pulpotomies have a relatively high success rate, but if the procedure fails to prevent an abscess, the tooth will need to be extracted and a spacer installed. Want an icon to show up when you leave a comment? The roots get eaten away as the permanent tooth comes up, that’s why when a baby tooth comes out naturally there is no root left normally. Cleaning must be done at least twice daily during the flossing and brushing sessions of your child. If you have any questions about space maintainers, type them in the comments.  Thanks for reading! Hi, Some bilateral devices include a Nance appliance, lingual space maintainer, etc. What should I do? Regular appointments with the dentist can help the specialist keep an eye on how your child’s teeth are developing. You should expect some bleeding in the beginning and can change the gauze out every 20 minutes until the bleeding subsides. If a baby tooth is lost early, and adequate steps aren’t taken in a timely fashion to preserve the space it occupied, problems frequently develop. Do not skip an appointment with your dentist because regular checks help to ensure that the space maintainer is in the right shape. You have to wear your teeth spacers anywhere from 7 to 14 days before having the braces fitted. She has only lost her 2 front bottom teeth and they are crooked and seem to be getting more crooked. The other twin who is 8 got a spacer on the second space from the back. im not sure if im going to have this put in. Are space maintainers really necessary? She is passionate about oral hygiene and encourages people to achieve optimal oral health. first of all... spacers are included in the cost. While you might know what braces do, did you know that their function can be enhanced using teeth spacers? The purpose of spacers is to create enough space between the teeth to allow the bands of your braces to fit comfortably around the particular teeth. Keep in mind that not all tooth losses during the growing stage require the use of a space maintainer. Using toothpaste with fluoride and an antiseptic mouth rinse will ensure your child's mouth is healthy and healing during expansion. Getting a space could be a really big step for your child, but it will all be worth it in the end. Are there any alternatives to metal space maintainers. Is a spacer necessary? Once your orthodontist decides when to take them off, they will be slipped out and replaced by a metal band. braces.. depends on your orthodontist. Do you know what types of metal they recommended not putting in their mouths? The one turned gray and we have been watching it since January 2010. Thanks! Regards The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) Gold Coast Smiles is a proud supporter of the Child Dental Benefits Schedule scheme. Will space pain full? My baby is 5yrs old and just got her upper and lower spacer appliances and I’m not sure if it was the right thing to do she is crying and complaining of the pain pls help me understand this and if was really necessary Knowing how they function can help you understand better how the procedure associated with installing braces works. My husband and I don’t know what to do as far as the space maintainer. It’s normal to feel some discomfort after your orthodontist places your spacers during the first two to three days. I have an 8 yr old that has a cavity on the right bottom side about 4th from front of his bottom teeth. I am very frustrated and wondering what can be done or if she would be able to go without it. So it goes grown up molar then crown then tooth pulled. My son bumped his front two teeth almost two years ago. Sometimes this can be a good thing, like if your orthodontist has to extract a tooth due to crowding.  After the tooth is extracted, the teeth adjacent to it move together and line up perfectly to create a beautiful smile. They said she does not need a spacer. He says that we would have a bigger problem if we extract those baby molars. According to this source,  space maintainers aid in preventing undesirable tooth movements resulting in loss of arch length. It is up to your orthodontist to determine how best to use these temporary appliances. He is very frustrated and is just eating yogurt right now. Spacers for teeth are mostly used during the early treatment phase but may come in handy later on if some tooth alignment adjustments need to be made. I have lots of conflict of ideas from orthodontist, one recommends me to pull out his two baby teeth. Will it get easier down the line or will she have this discomfort the entire time waiting for her tooth to pop up. After your child’s dental extraction, we will walk you through how to care for your child so they can heal as quickly as possible. This dental space maintainer is recommended if the child has teeth missing on their lower jaw. We are very natural in our family (we see a naturopath) and have been advised against putting metal in our children’s mouths. But I don’t want to do the wrong thing. My name's Tom and I'm a dentist in rural Virginia. Stick to the instructions of your dentist and keep in mind that not using these spacers for teeth like a space maintainer can lead to further oral health issues like misaligned teeth. The lower lingual holding arch comes in handy, especially when the lower jaw has some teeth missing on either side. To learn more about tooth space maintainers, or if you have any further questions about a tooth spacer for your child, call The Super Dentists at 1 (855) GO SUPER, or text 1 (844) 765-1234. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Since this practice is a commonly used dental technique, a frequently asked question by parents is: why would my child need a spacer? Then, you would have the space maintainer just sitting there not doing anything. Source(s): https://owly.im/a8Exc. I asked the orthodontist if she thinks we could wait until January when I can afford the almost $500 spacer that insurance does not cover and she said yes that should be okay. And also he has obvious cavities on his molars, is teeth filling still needed for those molars? Kelly is a registered dental hygienist and oral health care provider. Costs of dental care. Tooth Spacer Care. Tooth Spacer Cost. My son is only 5yrs old.,he has a gap now in btw the last molar; since 2nd the the last was pulled. Spacers are usually used to put spaces in between teeth before braces are established. and is it really even nec. It is more expensive, but it would probably be the best choice in the long run to make sure that both of her premolars have space to come in. A space maintainer consists of one or two stainless steel crowns or bands that attach to the teeth and hold a bar or wire loop between them that prevents the teeth from moving toward each other into the empty space.  This provides a force that keeps the two teeth from coming together.  It’s kind of like an overprotective father following his daughter on her first date to the movies with a cute boy and sitting between them – he will block the natural forces that attract them to each other and prevent them from moving together and filling the empty space between them. My granddaughter who is seven just got a spacer it is very hard for her to eat an the spacer is cutting her tongue. My son who is 10 years old doc pull out his baby teeth and use maintainers from last 2years. You can take out the removable maintainers and clean them. Help! Now after extraction, when I asked about the space saver, the doctor responded that (he may not need it bc it’s the top molar. Your email address will not be published. My 9 year old son has a baby tooth that will not push through even though his permanent tooth is trying to push it through. A few months ago, I wrote an article detailing why it would be necessary for a child to get a space maintainer.. A space maintainer is commonly referred to as simply a spacer.. The Australian Dental Association (ADA) surveys dental practitioners each year to provide average price data on more than 120 dental treatments. The doctor said that the X-rays show abnormal causing bubbles bc the adult molar is growing in a little and is effecting the bone and causing the bubbles on his gum via infection. I was warned of possible fungal infections but was told it is rare and was shown how to clean it properly. Thanks for stopping by Oral Answers! The remaining teeth will move and tilt into the now vacant space, causing more complex problems with your bite that can contribute to further destruction of your teeth. This is probably the most important function of baby teeth. Always seek the advice of your dentist or qualified healthcare provider to help you with any questions you have regarding a medical condition or treatment. On this gravatar-enabled site, all you have to do is upload your custom icon at Gravatar.com. Poor kid, it was infected and so they pulled it out. Is there something they could put in her mouth to give her space for new teeth? Hi Kerry – We have been taught that it is not necessary to put a space maintainer in when a front tooth is lost prematurely. my son needs to have his molar removed due to decay… the dentist said he needs a spacer put in.. do these hurt? SEE MY COMMENT BELOW AS THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.). He is having a difficult time eating and we are looking for any tips you can provide to help us with this. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me. Post-Procedure Care for Your Child. Have them pulled! Intuitively, this makes sense because there is no apparent movement or drifting of teeth when developmental spacing is present in the primary dentition.”. We want to help ensure every child loves their smile and has access to the best quality dental care on the Gold Coast. Colored Braces: What Colors of Braces Can You Get? If one primary tooth is missing for more than a short period, the child risks other teeth becoming loose because they aren't properly supported. And one more thing, is spacer expensive?how does it look like? I hope this helps you. Abnormal wear on teeth. This is from what I remember, but when I get home this afternoon I’ll take a look in some of my textbooks and follow-up if I feel like I left something out. Thanks for your comment! Then, orthodontic bands are used to anchor it down. The author states, “Some dentists think that early removal of a primary incisor results in space loss because the adjacent teeth drift into the space formerly occupied by the lost incisor. Tooth loss can be due to trauma, disease, overcrowding, or decay. Your orthodontist may also have to replace or adjust your teeth spacers if they will function as part of the treatment process which ensures that your teeth continue moving the right way. You can also subscribe without commenting. Third tooth from the back on the left side. We recommend using pain relievers and eating soft foods mostly before bedtime. My friend is a dentist and not my dentist so she didn't try to get money out of me. My 5 yr old had to extract upper right 2nd to the last already crowned molar due to gum infection. Also known as separators, they help to make space in which the dental bands will be fitted. Could you please, please, please be kind to give me your opinion on this? Depending on the child’s current stage of dental development, that could be issues with permanent tooth alignment, or even impaction (a tooth whose path of eruption is blocked). Ongoing bleeding will require changing the gauze every 20 minutes until the bleedings ceases. Now once again he pull his teeth his dentist said because adult teeth has not enough space to come out so we have to pull out his baby teeth. i would like to know, when are the front permanent will come out? My almost 7 year old daughter has a stainless steel crown in her first primary molar. Kelly is currently a pediatric dental hygienist specializing in children’s dentistry. It is used in the upper jaw and comes with bands that are meant to be wrapped around the molars. To get this your child must be: 2 to 17 years old for at least 1 day that year; eligible for Medicare; getting a payment from us at least once a year, or have a parent getting a payment from us at least once a year. Also known as the Nance holding arch or Nance orthodontic appliance, this space maintainer comes in handy after the premature loss of the primary molar teeth on either section of the dental arch. Although they have the same name, the spacers that your child might get when they begin to lose their baby teeth are quite different than orthodontic spacers. He also mentioned maybe putting in a space maintainer. When a dentist removes a significant amount of tooth decay, the tooth may become extremely sensitive. The band and loop space maintainer would not be a good choice because the tooth that the “loop” part would go up against would be lost before the permanent tooth that we are saving space for (in your daughter’s case, the 2nd premolar) even comes in. The Molar behind that has just came in fully and we have an appt to discuss space maintainers. I hope that helps! The metal band is then cemented to serve as an anchor for your brace’s wires. With tooth decay on the rise in Australia, it’s important to make sure you’ll be able to afford a dentist if your child needs dental care. (UPDATE – 11/12/2010 – I DID REMEMBER WRONG! Her dentist wants to put in a space maintainer for when she starts losing the rest of her teeth. Now that you know what teeth spacers are and how they work, let’s get back to our discussion about dental space maintainers. After a week, I had enough and called the office because the tooth was bothering him and I do not want a risk of infection. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. The end result, the upper left canine shaved off half of the bottom molar (the molar behind his bottom canine). Although not a medical problem, the appearance of a child’s teeth and mouth is a huge determiner of how he or she sees himself or herself. They help these youngsters with biting and chewing, as well as speaking correctly until they become adolescents. Spacers are just the first component of having braces, so they’ll be included with the cost of your braces. Since fixed maintainers are held in place, it’s okay to brush them every morning and prior to your child’s bedtime. It is important to note that when kids naturally lose their teeth, there is no need for a space maintainer.  Space maintainers are only necessary when a baby tooth has been prematurely lost.  For example, if the tooth was knocked out in an accident or the tooth had to be pulled because it was too decayed to be saved. I have some concerns such as what are the options, how well do they work and are there any side effects? Unfortunately his baby teeth are in the way, making his grown-up teeth to don’t have space. Thanks for your question! However, in the case of individuals who have misaligned or crooked teeth, the most recommended solution is usually teeth braces. Talking with your orthodontist about the things you can do to ensure the oral health of your child is the first step on the road to healthy teeth. She wanted to wait and see what happened. This is the reason American ‘s pay a fortune for dental work! The biggest reason to put something there would obviously be for looks. Pinkham’s Pediatric Dentistry textbook agrees that space maintainers don’t need to be placed after the loss of a front tooth. So, the teeth either become blocked or erupt out of position, thereby leading to crooked teeth or misaligned teeth. As mentioned earlier, your child may lose their baby teeth due to different reasons such as metabolic disorders, blood diseases, severe tooth decay, injuries, falls, accidents, or a wide range of other probable causes.