Accidents happen, and your child may lose a baby tooth. But that’s okay; it was going to fall out eventually . . . right? Our dentist and team know that when a child loses a baby tooth too soon, it can actually cause future dental problems. This is why Dr. William D. Steinhauer provides a dental space maintainer in San Antonio, Texas. Come to Dentistry for Children so your child can receive this appliance that will protect their future dental health.
Many parents may not realize how important their child’s baby teeth are for lifelong dental health. These teeth not only help a child to speak, chew, and smile while they are young, but they actually act as a placeholder for permanent teeth. When permanent teeth are ready to erupt, the baby tooth falls out and the permanent one takes its place. But when injury or decay cause a child to lose a baby tooth too early, the surrounding teeth in the mouth can shift into the empty space. This can result in crooked or crowded teeth when the permanent teeth erupt.
Our dentist provides dental space maintainers to prevent these problems when a baby tooth is lost too soon. The space maintainer is a small appliance, a metal band that fits easily and comfortably in your child’s mouth. It prevents the baby teeth neighboring a gap from shifting into it, allowing the permanent tooth to erupt properly. Your child can care for the dental space maintainer by brushing and flossing regularly, avoiding chewing gum and sticky candies, avoiding playing with the maintainer, and visiting our dentist for regular check-ups.
