Upper Space Maintainer

Space maintainers are dental appliances used to hold the space for a permanent tooth when a baby tooth is lost prematurely.

Benefits

Prevents tooth crowding: Space maintainers help prevent neighboring teeth from drifting or shifting into the space left by the missing tooth. By maintaining the space, they ensure that there is enough room for the permanent tooth to erupt properly.

Promotes normal jaw growth and development: The presence of a space maintainer encourages normal growth and development of the jawbone and surrounding tissues. It helps guide the erupting permanent tooth into its correct position, preventing any potential disruptions or misalignments.

Avoids the need for orthodontic treatment: By preserving the space and guiding the eruption of permanent teeth, space maintainers can potentially reduce the need for more extensive orthodontic treatment later on. They minimize the chances of tooth crowding, malocclusions, or the need for tooth extraction.

Maintains proper chewing and speech function: Space maintainers ensure that the teeth on either side of the gap are maintained in their correct positions, allowing for proper chewing and speech function. This helps maintain overall oral functionality and prevents issues that may arise from missing teeth.

Enhances aesthetics and self-esteem: Space maintainers help maintain the natural appearance of the smile by preventing gaps and preserving the proper alignment of the teeth. This can contribute to improved aesthetics and self-esteem, particularly in children and adolescents.

Minimally invasive and comfortable: Space maintainers are typically custom-made to fit comfortably in the mouth. They are designed to be minimally invasive and easy to adapt to. With proper care and regular check-ups, they can provide effective maintenance of the tooth space until the permanent tooth erupts.

Premature loss of baby teeth: When a baby tooth is lost earlier than its natural time of exfoliation, a space maintainer may be recommended. This commonly occurs due to dental decay, trauma, or other factors. Space maintainers help preserve the space and prevent neighboring teeth from shifting into the gap, allowing the permanent tooth to erupt in its proper position.

Congenitally missing teeth: Some individuals may be born without certain permanent teeth. In such cases, space maintainers can be used to hold the space and prevent the adjacent teeth from drifting, allowing for the placement of a dental prosthesis or implant in the future.

Extraction of primary teeth due to disease or other reasons: If a baby tooth needs to be extracted before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt, a space maintainer may be used to maintain the space until the permanent tooth is ready to come in.

Orthodontic treatment: In orthodontic cases where space needs to be created for proper alignment of the teeth, space maintainers can be utilized to hold the space while the teeth are being moved into their correct positions.