A space maintainer is a dental appliance that has been custom made by a dentist to keep the space open where a deciduous tooth has been extracted and to allow permanent tooth to erupt and come into right place.
Usually a space maintainer should be left in place unless the permanent tooth erupts where the tooth was missing. The time limit depends on the time when the tooth was taken out. It is usually 5-7 years. It also depends on your child’s dental needs like how many teeth are missing or is the space sufficient enough.
There are main five rules for the care of space maintainers.
You should try to avoid any sticky sweets or chewing gums, as it may stick to the appliance and cause discomfort.
Second is that you should never tug or push the appliance with your finger or your tongue as it might break or get distorted by constant touching or by the force applied.
Third is to keep it clean with regular brushing.
Fourth is that if u find that the space maintainer gets loose or is moving in the mouth, report to your dentist immediately.
And lastly keep your dental visit regular for any changes to be seen or for any modifications to be made.
When a deciduous tooth is lost before time the teeth adjacent to it may tilt or try to drift into the empty space. Teeth in the opposite arch to lost tooth may move up or down to fill the gaps. So when this happens they create a lack of space for the new permanent tooth to erupt. This in result makes the permanent teeth crowded and becomes crooked. If these are still left untreated this may require an extensive orthodontic treatment.
The space maintainer is a passive appliance and so it doesn’t move any teeth or its surrounding structure, so basically there shouldn’t be any pain or discomfort to the child. If there still is any pain or discomfort caused by the appliance, inform your dentist, there might be adjustment needed to be done.