Space Maintainer
A space maintainer is a device commonly used in pediatric dentistry to hold space for permanent teeth when a child loses a baby tooth prematurely. They are custom-made by a dentist or orthodontist and can be either fixed or removable.
There are several types of space maintainers, including:
Unilateral or Band-and-Loop: This type of space maintainer is used when there is a need to reserve space for one missing tooth. It is fixed and made of stainless steel. The band part is cemented onto the tooth next to the empty space, and the loop extends into the space where the tooth is missing.
Crown and Loop: This is similar to the band-and-loop but uses a crown instead of a band.
Distal Shoe Appliance: This type of space maintainer is inserted under the gum and used when your child loses a baby molar before the adult molar has started to come in.
Lingual Holding Arch: This is used when your child loses more than one tooth, and it’s placed on the lower arch of their teeth.
Transpalatal Arch (TPA) or Nance Appliance: These are used on the upper teeth when your child loses more than one tooth.
The main goal of a space maintainer is to ensure that there is enough space for the permanent tooth to erupt in the correct position. If a baby tooth is lost too early and a space maintainer is not used, the nearby teeth can shift or tilt into the vacant space, causing problems with spacing and alignment when the permanent tooth is ready to come in.
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