Space Maintainers

Sometimes baby need to be removed early due to infection or trauma. However, it is important to preserve the space left behind otherwise shifting can occur and crowding of the future adult teeth. To preserve this space, a space maintainer may be recommended until the adult tooth starts to come in.

A space maintainer usually takes 2 appointments:

  1. We 3D scan of the area and send the image to a dental lab in order to fabricate the space maintainer. The most common space maintainer consists of a metal band and loop.
  2. The space maintainer is cemented on to the tooth closest to the one that was lost.

It is very important to follow up every six months. The space maintainer is removed once the adult tooth starts to come in. A space maintainer is left on too long it can affect the way the adult teeth come in.

A child holds a dental space maintainer