What are Space Maintainers? 

Space maintainers are small appliances which are either fixed or removable type, used to maintain space in the jaws if a milk tooth is lost or removed prematurely.

 

What are the advantages of having Space Maintainers? 

Once Space maintainers are placed they prevent the adjacent tooth from moving into the space created by the premature loss of milk tooth. This in turn preserve the space for the permanent tooth as well as prevent malocclusions from developing. It has been estimated that 60% of malocclusion is because of premature loss of milk tooth and lack of space maintenance.

 

Can we say that Space Maintainers will prevent all malocclusions? 

No. Placing space maintainers will not completely prevent the development of malocclusion. But it definitely reduces the severity of malocclusion which in turn will decrease the duration of the treatment period drastically at a later stage.

 

Is periodic recall necessary after placement of Space Maintainers? 

Yes. Every six months space maintainers have to be removed and checked for its fit, and any associated decay with it.

 

Does it need any extra efforts to maintain these appliances? 

Yes. One has to take a little extra effort to keep the area clean while brushing. In other words one has to clean these space maintainers and the associated tooth very well to prevent further decay from these retentive areas.

 

Is there any Space Maintainer if there is any multiple teeth loss? 

Yes. There are different kind of space maintainers for single tooth loss and multiple tooth loss. The pediatric dentist will suggest you the best space maintainer depending upon the situation present.