Space maintainers play a crucial role in ensuring your child’s healthy oral development. While your child’s baby teeth help them chew and eat, that is far from their only purpose. Primary teeth also act as guides to help your child’s permanent teeth erupt in the proper positions. When a baby tooth is lost too soon, it can disrupt the natural course of dental development and cause their permanent tooth to “drift” or erupt in the wrong position. The neighboring teeth may also shift or tilt into the space that should have been saved for that future permanent tooth.
Baby teeth may be lost early for a number of reasons, including:
- Severe tooth decay
- Infection
- Diseases or other medical conditions
- Accidents, falls or other injury
- Congenital conditions
To help prevent problems with your child’s tooth alignment when they lose their baby teeth too early, our pediatric dentist may recommend a space maintainer. Space maintainers are a type of dental appliance specially designed to preserve the gap left by a lost baby tooth open until its corresponding permanent tooth is ready to emerge. This helps promote proper tooth alignment and the long-term oral health of your child.
Space maintainers come in various forms, including both removable and fixed options, each tailored to the unique needs of the child. Dr. Reza Arzegar will work closely with your child to ensure they receive the type of space maintainer that is right for their unique needs.
To schedule an appointment and learn more about space maintainers in Austin, Texas, call Longhorn Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics today at 512-892-2443!
512-892-2443