Blog Highlights:

• Space maintainers help save the space left by a lost tooth for permanent teeth
• It needs to be placed especially when your child loses a tooth before permanent teeth will erupt
• Space maintainers will allow your child’s permanent teeth to erupt at the proper place

Space maintainers are used by dentists to help hold space for permanent teeth. This is very important especially when your child loses a baby tooth before his or her permanent teeth is ready to erupt.  Space maintainers are used to help adult tooth erupt into its proper place. If a primary tooth is lost prematurely, the adjacent teeth can shift or move towards the empty space. And when the rest of the adult teeth are ready to erupt into the mouth, there may no longer be adequate space simply because your child’s other teeth have moved towards the empty area. To help hold open the space that has been left by the lost tooth, your dentist will recommend that you get a space maintainer.