While it’s true that baby teeth are destined to fall out and be replaced by their adult counterparts, when they fall out too early, their absence can cause trouble down the line. Fortunately, space maintainers can keep your child’s teeth from shifting, so their smiles can continue to grow and develop as they should.
Space maintainers are essential if your child loses a baby tooth early. Baby teeth are meant to fall out eventually. But they also help form the “paths” that the adult teeth take when they emerge, and help young patients maintain proper alignment for their permanent teeth. If they lose a tooth early, they may have a higher risk of orthodontic complications later in life. With a space maintainer, your child’s pediatric dentist can make sure that early baby tooth loss doesn’t affect their oral development.
The first baby teeth start to fall out around the age of 6, and the last baby teeth fall out around the ages of 12-14.
Every child deserves the chance at a healthy grin. That’s why we have payment options for every budget.
See real patient success stories.
A small custom appliance that holds the gap open after a baby tooth is lost early, so neighboring teeth can't drift in and block the adult tooth.
Whenever a baby tooth is lost well before the adult tooth is ready to come in — usually after an extraction or an injury.
Until the adult tooth erupts, which can be months or years. We check the fit at every visit and remove it at the right moment.
It feels odd for a few days, then children forget it's there. Soft foods for the first day help while your child adjusts.
Brush around it carefully, skip sticky candy and chewing gum, and call us if it feels loose or bent — a displaced maintainer stops doing its job.
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