Space Maintainers in Lisle, IL
Lose a baby tooth too soon, whether to trauma, decay, or another cause, and the neighboring teeth can drift into the empty space, blocking the permanent tooth from erupting properly. Drs. Brammeier and Ericson at Brammeier Family Dental can place a space maintainer that holds the gap open until the adult tooth is ready to come in, heading off costly orthodontic problems down the road.
What it is
A small dental device, fixed or removable, that keeps the space open after a baby tooth is lost prematurely so the permanent tooth has room to erupt in its proper position.
Who it's for
Children who lost a baby tooth too early to trauma, decay, or other causes. Not every early tooth loss calls for a space maintainer, since the decision rests on which tooth was lost and the child's development.
How we help
A careful look at your child's dental development, custom-fitted space maintainers, and ongoing monitoring to make sure the permanent tooth erupts properly.
Heading off a space problem now beats correcting one later. Schedule your child's evaluation.
What Is a Space Maintainer?
- A custom device that saves the space left by a prematurely lost baby tooth so the permanent tooth can erupt in its proper position
- Because baby teeth act as natural space holders, losing one early lets neighboring teeth drift into the gap
- Once teeth shift, the permanent tooth may come in crooked, become impacted, or create crowding that calls for orthodontic treatment
- Space maintainers come in several types, and Drs. Brammeier and Ericson will recommend the one best suited to your child
- As a simple, affordable preventive measure, a space maintainer can spare your child expensive, complex treatment later
Types of Space Maintainers
- Band and loop: The most common design, pairing a metal band around an adjacent tooth with a wire loop that holds the space open
- Lower lingual holding arch: Chosen when several teeth are missing on both sides of the lower jaw
- Nance appliance: Keeps space on both sides of the upper jaw with an acrylic button resting against the palate
- Removable appliances: Much like a retainer, suited to older, more cooperative children or when appearance is a concern
- Drs. Brammeier and Ericson choose the type based on your child's age, which tooth was lost, and their overall dental development
Caring for Your Child's Space Maintainer
When Is a Space Maintainer Needed?
- A baby tooth comes out before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt
- Decay, trauma, accidents, or infection are the usual reasons behind early tooth loss
- Not every early tooth loss needs a space maintainer, and if the permanent tooth is close to erupting, one may be unnecessary
- Before recommending treatment, Drs. Brammeier and Ericson use X-rays to check where the developing permanent tooth sits
- The sooner a space maintainer goes in after tooth loss the better, ideally before adjacent teeth start to shift
Care Instructions
- Steer clear of sticky and chewy foods (gum, taffy, caramel) that can loosen the appliance
- Resist pushing on the space maintainer with fingers or tongue
- Brush and floss carefully around the appliance every time
- Keep every follow-up appointment so Drs. Brammeier and Ericson can track the permanent tooth's progress
- Once the permanent tooth begins to erupt, the space maintainer comes out, and in most cases no second procedure is needed
A small device today can prevent big problems tomorrow. Ask us about space maintainers for your child.
What to Expect at Your Visit
The Process
- Evaluation: Drs. Brammeier and Ericson examine your child's mouth and take X-rays to study the developing permanent tooth
- Impressions: When a space maintainer is needed, impressions or scans capture the detail for a custom-fitted device
- Fitting: At a follow-up visit the space maintainer is placed, quickly and painlessly
- Monitoring: Regular checkups confirm the appliance is working as it should and the permanent tooth is developing on track
- Removal: As soon as the permanent tooth begins to erupt, the space maintainer is easily taken out
Tips for Parents
- Expect a day or two for your child to get used to the feel of the appliance, which is completely normal
- A little discomfort early on is possible but should fade quickly
- Remind your child to leave the device alone rather than fidget with it
- Keep up regular brushing and flossing, since good oral hygiene matters most around the appliance
- If the space maintainer feels loose or breaks, call our office rather than trying to adjust it yourself
Frequently Asked Questions
Not every early tooth loss requires one. Whether a space maintainer is needed depends on which tooth was lost, your child's age, and how close the permanent tooth is to erupting. If the adult tooth is due to come in soon, the space may hold on its own.
Where it is needed, though, a space maintainer is well worth it. When a baby tooth is lost well before the permanent tooth is ready, the surrounding teeth tend to drift into the gap and block it, which can lead to crowding, impaction, and far more costly, complex orthodontic treatment down the road. Drs. Brammeier and Ericson will evaluate your child's specific situation, often with an X-ray, and only recommend a space maintainer when it will genuinely help.
No. Placing a space maintainer is a painless procedure that needs no drilling and no anesthesia. We simply fit the custom device around the neighboring tooth and secure it, which most children find quick and easy.
Your child may notice a little pressure or an unfamiliar feeling for the first day or two as they get used to having the space maintainer in place, and that settles quickly. If anything feels sharp, sore, or loose beyond those first couple of days, give us a call so we can check the fit.
A space maintainer stays in until the permanent tooth beneath it is ready to erupt into the space it has been protecting. Depending on your child's age and which tooth was lost, that can range from a few months to a few years, since every child's development runs on its own timeline.
There is no need to track it yourself. Drs. Brammeier and Ericson keep an eye on the permanent tooth's progress at regular checkups, and as soon as it begins to come through, the space maintainer is easily removed. In most cases no further appliance is needed once it comes out.
Call our office right away if the space maintainer feels loose, bends, or breaks. Please do not try to adjust or reattach it yourself, since a loosened appliance can become a choking hazard and a well-meaning fix at home can do more harm than good.
We will set up a prompt visit to repair or refit the device. In the meantime, the more important thing is that the space it was holding stays protected, so the sooner we get your child back in, the less chance the neighboring teeth have to drift. A quick call is always the right move.
Yes, with just a few exceptions. A space maintainer is built to stay put through normal eating, speaking, and play, so most of your child's routine does not change at all. The foods to avoid are the ones that can pull the device loose or bend its wire:
- Sticky, chewy foods like gum, taffy, and caramel
- Hard candy
- Ice and other hard items your child might be tempted to chew
Beyond steering clear of those, your child can eat as they normally would. Good brushing and flossing around the appliance matter more than any dietary restriction, so keep up the home care and the space maintainer will do its job comfortably.
Most dental insurance plans cover space maintainers for children, typically under a preventive or orthodontic benefit, because they are recognized as a way to avoid more expensive treatment later. Coverage does vary from plan to plan, so the details depend on your specific policy.
Before treatment begins, our team at our Lisle office confirms your benefits and provides a clear cost estimate, so there are no surprises. It is worth remembering that a space maintainer costs far less than the orthodontic treatment it helps prevent, which makes it one of the more cost-effective investments you can make in your child's smile. See our financing options if you would like to spread out the cost.
When a space maintainer is recommended but not used, the teeth next to the gap tend to tip and drift into the empty space over time. Baby teeth hold that space for a reason, and once it starts to close, the permanent tooth waiting underneath loses the room it needs.
That can leave the permanent tooth erupting crooked or out of position, becoming impacted and stuck below the gumline, or crowding the other teeth. Correcting any of those usually calls for braces or other orthodontic treatment, which is more involved and more costly than the simple space maintainer that would have prevented it. That is the whole reason we recommend one only when it will make a real difference.
Protect your child's future smile. Book a space maintainer evaluation today.