Space Maintainers Alpharetta & Johns Creek

Patients, young and old, may require space maintainers in Alpharetta following the premature loss of a tooth or other dental conditions. But what exactly are these appliances, and why would a dentist recommend you use them? Here at Polkadot Pediatric Dentistry, we make every effort possible to ensure that our patients enjoy the healthiest versions of their smiles. However, there are still some situations that escape our control and may result in the loss of teeth.

Young patients can lose teeth prematurely for several reasons. Maybe one of their teeth suffered an infection and couldn’t be saved through traditional root canal treatments, or the patient suffered considerable trauma in a sports accident, and a tooth fell off. Regardless of the reason, your dentist would recommend using space maintainers in John’s Creek if the patient has lost a tooth too long before the eruption of a permanent tooth. A trained pediatric dentist like Dr. Nanna Ariaban will recommend you use space maintainers to prevent the development of more serious orthodontic conditions.

When you lose a tooth, and there is a space left in your mouth, your other teeth are at risk of moving. The other teeth will automatically shift position towards the now open space and may prevent the normal eruption of other permanent teeth. Even more, the permanent teeth that were already in the correct position may also move, thus developing a condition called overcrowding. Using space maintainers in Roswell prevents all of this.

A dentist will install a space maintainer because preventing the development of those orthodontic problems goes beyond the aesthetics of your smile and helps your dental health. If you don’t have overcrowded teeth, it will be easier to clean them, avoid the buildup of plaque and tartar, and prevent cavities and the ensuing infections to the soft tissue of a tooth. Your Alpharetta dentist may install one of several types of space maintainers in Alpharetta.

• Unilateral or Crown and Loop space maintainers are attached over a tooth next to the open space. The metallic appliance surrounds the tooth and connects to a metallic ring that prevents the teeth from moving in.
• A lingual space maintainer is much more complex, and it is used when several teeth are missing. Part of it is cemented or bonded to the molars, and a wire is connected to the back of the frontal teeth.
• A distal shoe is a different type of space maintainer that requires careful monitoring from the dentist. It is secured around a tooth and it goes into your gums.

Please consult with your Alpharetta dentist first if you need a space maintainer. You can set your next appointment and please, follow the directions given by your dentist to care for your teeth and the space maintainer.