Baby teeth, or primary teeth, are meant to fall out eventually. But if they fall out too soon, this could lead to issues with the arrival of the permanent teeth. The risk of dental misalignment could then increase! To help prevent poor alignment, your Shirley, NY, pediatric dentist and orthodontist can provide space maintainers.
The Premature Loss of Primary Teeth
Your child’s primary teeth are meant to fall out on a specific schedule, as the teeth on either side will help guide the permanent ones into proper position. But when kids lose teeth early to issues like tooth decay or infection, this means complications could arise with the arrival of the permanent teeth, which in turn cause dental misalignment and poor oral health. The surrounding teeth can also drift from their places due to this gap. If a baby tooth is lost early to injury or poor oral health, our team can keep this space open to allow permanent teeth to arrive properly, before surrounding teeth can shift from position.
Our Space Maintainers
A space maintainer is easily an oral appliance designed to help guide the permanent teeth into position and limit the severity of misalignment. We have unilateral ones attached to one side of the teeth, and bilateral ones attached to both sides. They can be fixed in place or we have removable ones. The removable ones will need to be removed for cleaning and soaking, and the fixed ones stay in place. In most cases, we recommend the latter option for kids. Your little ones will need to brush and floss them too!
Braces and Aligners
Once all of the permanent teeth have erupted and the outer enamel properly calcifies, we can move forward with the next stage, which completes correcting the misalignment of the smile. For some, this could include braces., With ceramic brackets, we make them less visible. With Invisalign® aligners, we can offer a clear and comfortable plastic set. This ensures your children will start their adult years with an even and healthy one, one that looks great and inspires confidence.
If you have any questions about how we correct smiles in childhood, or about our space maintainers in particular, then contact our team today to learn more. We would love to help your children enjoy their best possible smile!
Talk to Your Shirley, NY, Orthodontist and Pediatric Dentist Today
We can offer treatment to limit the severity of misalignment and safeguard little smiles for years to come, so they can enjoy good oral health. To learn more about our approach to treating children’s smiles with our custom phased orthodontic options, then contact Shirley Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Shirley, NY, by calling (631) 399-1600. Now is a great time to start your child’s treatment!
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