Space Maintainers in San Antonio, TX

Children are supposed to lose their baby teeth as their adult teeth start to erupt through their gums, but did you know that losing a baby tooth too early can actually cause a lot of problems for a patient? Space maintainers are a simple preventive measure that can make a huge difference in your child’s oral health. To learn more about our services or schedule a visit with our practice, please get in touch with our front office team.

What are space maintainers used for?

When a baby tooth is knocked out too early and the adult tooth underneath is not ready to grow in yet, it can cause orthodontic issues for the patient. Teeth tend to shift into empty spaces, and if this happens, the adult tooth may not have enough room to grow in properly or at all. This can cause a lot of discomfort for the patient, and it can require more advanced orthodontic treatments to fix. Space maintainers are simple oral appliances that hold space open for the adult tooth to grow in and prevent the other teeth from shifting, and they are easy to place and remove.

Are space maintainers painful?

It may take your child some time to get used to having a space maintainer, but it should not be painful for them. If they had one or more baby teeth knocked out due to an accident, they may have some dental trauma that is causing pain and soreness. If your child continues to express that they are in pain, that could indicate that there is a larger issue present, and we will want to take a look. Kids with space maintainers should also ensure that they are practicing great oral hygiene at home so that tooth decay does not develop around or near the space maintainer.

When should a space maintainer be placed and removed?

Ideally, space maintainers should be placed as soon as possible, as the nearby teeth can begin shifting pretty quickly. Our team will examine the gums and surrounding teeth to ensure that no other dental trauma occurred when the baby tooth was knocked out. You should check your child’s gums every day to see when the adult tooth starts growing in. After that, a quick trip to our office can be scheduled to remove the space maintainer, as the adult tooth will be well on its way to growing in properly from that point on.