When your children lose baby teeth early due to tooth decay and infection, this could eventually lead to major misalignment later in life! Which is why we want to use teeth spacers, also known as space maintainers, to help prevent misalignment. In today’s blog, your Shirley, NY, dentist will talk about children’s orthodontic care!
The Loss of Baby Teeth
Children will lose their baby teeth gradually over the course of several years. This happens at specific intervals, as the teeth on either side of the gap help guide the permanent ones into place, reducing the risk of misalignment. But if a tooth is lost early due to injury or a cavity or infection, then this could mean misalignment develops that grows worse with age and will require braces or aligners in the teen years to correct. Which is why even baby teeth with cavities need treatment! But don’t worry, if a tooth is lost early and you see us quickly, we can take measures to help reduce the severity of misalignment.
Space Maintainers
A space maintainer is a unique device that helps keep the space open where a baby tooth once stood. This helps prevent the surrounding teeth from shifting, or permanent teeth from erupting properly and being crooked or otherwise uneven. This device then maintains the gap until the permanent teeth are in place. We can offer options that are removable, or ones that are fixed in place and never move. Bilateral ones are attached to both sides of the mouth, and unilateral ones are attached to one side. Your child will still need to brush and floss daily, and should clean the space maintainers as well to maintain good oral health until they can be removed.
Orthodontic Treatments
For some patients, the same devices prevent the need for orthodontics. For others, they help limit the severity of poor alignment, and reduce the amount of time your little one will need to wear braces, retainers, or aligners in their later childhood and teen years. We have a number of options to help correct uneven smiles, so children enjoy more attractive smiles and better oral health. In addition, we can also offer care for adults as well! If you have any questions about our treatment options, or want to schedule a visit for you or your children, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help people of all ages enjoy even and healthy smiles.
Schedule a Visit With Your Shirley, NY, Orthodontist and Pediatric Dentist
Our team wants to help kids avoid major misalignment with treatment in childhood. To learn more about orthodontic treatment for kids, then contact Shirley Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Shirley, NY, by calling (631) 399-1600. We want to make sure patients of all ages smile with confidence!
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