Space Maintenance

The baby teeth, or primary teeth, allow your child to chew, eat and speak correctly, and they act as guides to ensure that the permanent teeth erupt in the proper places.

If a baby tooth is lost too early due to disease or injury, or because they are congenitally missing at birth, the permanent tooth no longer has a guide. When this happens, the permanent teeth that are coming in on either side can actually drift into the space that is reserved for another tooth. This can cause teeth to erupt in the wrong position or to be blocked entirely, which may result in crowded teeth.

If your child loses a tooth prematurely, Drs. Soria, Padmanabhan and Paolino will make certain that, if needed, the space is held to allow for the proper eruption of the permanent tooth. To do so, we may recommend a space maintainer. This appliance keeps the space open until the permanent tooth erupts. There are several types of space maintainers available, including both removable and fixed options. We will make sure that your child receives the type of space maintainer that best fits their unique needs.

For more information on the available types of space maintainers and their benefits in Manchester, Connecticut, and to schedule an appointment with our pediatric dentists, we invite you to contact Pediatric Dental Associates & Orthodontics at 860-649-4655.