Space Maintainers for Kids in Christiansburg, VA

When a baby tooth is lost early, the teeth on either side can slowly tip or drift into the gap. The permanent tooth may then be blocked, come in crooked or stay stuck under the gum. A space maintainer holds the teeth in place, which can help prevent crowding and may reduce the need for more involved orthodontic care later. Our guide on when kids lose baby teeth shows the usual timeline.

• Band and loop: a metal band around one tooth with a wire loop that rests against the tooth on the other side of the gap.
• Distal shoe: used when a back baby molar is lost before the first permanent molar has come in, to guide that molar into place.
• Lower lingual holding arch: a wire on the inside of the lower teeth, used when back teeth are missing on both sides.
• Nance appliance: an upper appliance with a small acrylic button that rests against the roof of the mouth.
• Removable space maintainers: acrylic appliances, sometimes with a replacement tooth, for older children who can care for them.

The dentist checks the space and may take X-rays to see when the permanent tooth is expected. A mold or scan is taken so the appliance can be made to fit, and at a short follow-up visit it is cemented or fitted in place. There is no drilling. It may feel strange for a few days, and most children get used to it quickly. Space maintainers are often placed after a tooth has been removed, so it helps to know what to expect with tooth extractions for kids.

• Brush carefully around the bands and wires twice a day.
• Avoid sticky and very hard foods such as caramels, gum and ice, which can loosen or bend the appliance.
• Do not push or pull on the wire with fingers or the tongue.
• Call us if the appliance becomes loose, bent or uncomfortable.

The space maintainer is checked at each visit and removed once the permanent tooth begins to come in. Early bite checks are part of our early orthodontic evaluations.

Not every early tooth loss needs a space maintainer. If the permanent tooth is close to coming in, or if a front baby tooth was lost, the space may stay open on its own. X-rays show where the permanent tooth is and how soon it is likely to appear. The dentist will explain whether an appliance is worth it for your child and will keep watching the space at regular visits if one is not needed.

Most children adjust to a space maintainer within a few days. Cut food into smaller pieces at first, and avoid chewing gum, caramels, taffy and other sticky foods that can pull on the bands. A removable appliance may change speech slightly at first, but most children sound normal again quickly. Keep a removable appliance in its case when it is not in the mouth, and never wrap it in a napkin, where it is easily thrown away.

A space maintainer stays in place until the permanent tooth begins to come in, which can be anywhere from a few months to several years depending on the tooth and your child's age. Fixed appliances are designed to stay cemented the whole time, but they are checked at every visit for wear, loose bands and gum health. When it is time, removal is quick and simple.

Blacksburg families are about 15 minutes from our office along US-460. Space maintainers usually take two short visits, one to measure and one to fit the appliance, and both can often be scheduled around school. After that, we check the appliance at your child's regular checkups.

From Radford, our office is about 20 minutes away, and families from Dublin and Pulaski usually drive 25 to 35 minutes on I-81. If a space maintainer comes loose between visits, call us right away. We can usually recement it quickly, and keeping it in place protects the space for the permanent tooth.

Families from Roanoke City and Roanoke County make the 40 to 50 minute drive up I-81 to see us. If your child lost a baby tooth early to decay or an injury, call us soon afterward, because nearby teeth can begin to shift within months.