Space Maintainers/Habit Breakers
Space maintainers are used when young children lose their baby teeth too soon. They preserve the resulting empty area to facilitate the natural emergence of permanent teeth. Without a space maintainer, baby teeth may erupt in the void and block the eruption of the adult tooth.
These devices reduce crowding, malocclusions (teeth out of place), and other orthodontic problems.
Our dentists at SmileMint Studio in Delhi may recommend a space maintainer if a child’s primary teeth erupt prematurely to prevent the other teeth from shifting and give the permanent teeth time to erupt.
Space maintainers shouldn’t hurt because they don’t move teeth or displace the jaw. Even while they may at first cause bleeding gums, kids often get used to them fairly quickly.
During the “mixed dentition phase,” when a child’s mouth has both permanent and baby teeth, it is crucial to keep an eye on them. A significant chance of dental misalignment exists at this time.
Why are Space Maintainers Important?
Complications may arise if your youngster requests a space maintainer but has yet to receive one. These incorporate:
- Baby teeth emerge into open gaps and inhibit the eruption of adult teeth
- An irregular location for adult teeth to appear in the mouth.
Need for Space Maintainers / Habits Breaker
Children may require space maintenance therapy for a variety of reasons, such as:
1. An early tooth extraction or loss
Baby teeth are frequently removed because of dental decay, which may easily affect them. Due to the fragility of the baby tooth enamel compared to that of permanent teeth, cavities are more likely to develop on a child’s molars.
Space maintainers are inserted if a tooth must be pulled owing to serious decay to avoid crowding or misalignment.
2. Dental Trauma
Children’s motor skills are still improving in the early years of life. As a result, upper and lower jaw front tooth injuries are relatively frequent. As a result, the incisors and canines of the front infant teeth are lost too soon.
Space maintainers assist in preventing crowding and misalignment when adult (permanent) teeth erupt if your child loses a back tooth early as a result of trauma.
Oral Habits or Habit Breakers – Thumb Sucking, Tongue Thrusting
Habit breakers assist patients to quit or break bad habits like thumbsucking or sticking the tongue in between the front teeth. They do precisely what their name says.
The tongue crib, a permanent device that maintains your tongue positioned posteriorly and prevents you from resting your thumb on the roof of your mouth, is one of our most popular habit breakers.
The habit usually quits after a few days, but the appliance is left in the mouth for around six months to ensure that it has entirely stopped.
When a patient develops an open bite as a result of the habit, the bite will frequently deepen on its own following treatment with a habit breaker.
Types of Space Maintainers
Unilateral Space Maintainer
After an early primary molar is lost, the Unilateral Space Maintainer is utilized to preserve the space for a premolar. It is a wire with adjustment loops, and one end soldered to the band and the other resting on the distal surface of a premolar or cuspid.
Bilateral Space Maintainer
Two bands are connected with a stainless steel wire to preserve bilateral space. Patients who have lost their main teeth early are advised to use this device. In addition to keeping the teeth in place, it acts as a guide so that the incisors will finally develop at a suitable angle. If necessary, compensating loops can be adjusted and can add springs to the anterior portion of the maintainer if precise dental movement is required.
Space Regainer
Force can be applied using a space regainer in the sagittal plane to recover and maintain interdental space.
Intra Alveolar Space Maintainer
Early loss of the second primary molar typically results in an insufficient eruption of the first permanent molar, which tends to move mesially in the alveolar bone. As a result, space is wasted, frequently affecting the second premolar. Consequently, a subgingival extension is inserted to offer intra-alveolar maintenance to guide the first permanent molar. The appliance is the same as the unilateral space maintainer except for this modification. On the very first primary molar, a band is attached. The wire is soldered to one end of the band and extends to the second primary molar tooth’s distal surface.
Schedule A Consultation
Suppose your child is in a mixed dentition phase and wants to prevent misalignment of teeth and malocclusion. Please schedule an appointment with our dentist at SmileMint Studio. Our well-experienced dentist will check your child’s teeth and advice for the right space maintainer at the right time.
FAQ's
Maintainers of space come in a variety of forms. Both fixed (non-removable) and detachable options are available. A basic metallic band with a connected wire is one of the most popular space maintainer designs, while space maintainers can also be constructed of acrylic, metal, or a mix of materials.
It is necessary to remove the space maintainer at the right moment to avoid obstructing the emergence of the permanent tooth. It is crucial that you have your child in for routine checkups so that we can assess the space maintainer's health.
A fixed space maintainer must be installed in two steps.
Step 1: The dentist will take your child's teeth imprints at the initial session. It will be possible to make a unique space maintainer using the impression.
Step 2: We'll attach the space maintainer during the second appointment. We will assess the fit and make any changes required to ensure a secure and comfortable fit.
Appliances that conserve and maintain space in the mouth are known as space maintainers. They are required when one or more primary molars have been lost too soon due to injury or illness.
The space maintainer is taken out when the tooth is ready to erupt. The space maintainer is required till your child's growth is finished if there are no permanent teeth (age 16 to 18).
1. Do space maintainers come in a variety of forms?
Maintainers of space come in a variety of forms. Both fixed (non-removable) and detachable options are available. A basic metallic band with a connected wire is one of the most popular space maintainer designs, while space maintainers can also be constructed of acrylic, metal, or a mix of materials.
2. How am I going to know when to take the space maintainer out?
It is necessary to remove the space maintainer at the right moment to avoid obstructing the emergence of the permanent tooth. It is crucial that you have your child in for routine checkups so that we can assess the space maintainer’s health.
3. What steps must be taken to introduce a space maintainer?
A fixed space maintainer must be installed in two steps.
Step 1: The dentist will take your child’s teeth imprints at the initial session. It will be possible to make a unique space maintainer using the impression.
Step 2: We’ll attach the space maintainer during the second appointment. We will assess the fit and make any changes required to ensure a secure and comfortable fit.
4. Which teeth require space keepers?
Appliances that conserve and maintain space in the mouth are known as space maintainers. They are required when one or more primary molars have been lost too soon due to injury or illness.
5. How long do children wear space maintainers?
The space maintainer is taken out when the tooth is ready to erupt. The space maintainer is required till your child’s growth is finished if there are no permanent teeth (age 16 to 18).
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