Losing that first baby tooth is an important chapter in each child’s development. But sometimes an early tooth loss can spell trouble for the future. Our dentists and team offer the alternative of space maintainers to make sure your child’s adult teeth come in complication-free. We here at Carson City Pediatric Dentistry and Dayton Pediatric Dentistry make sure that these early steps lead to a healthy adult mouth. Call us at our Carson City or Dayton location to learn more.
The baby teeth, or primary teeth, allow your child to chew and eat; however, that is not their only purpose. Primary teeth also act as guides to ensure that permanent teeth erupt in their proper places. If a baby tooth is lost too early, the permanent tooth no longer has a guide, which can result in it drifting or erupting in the wrong position. The premature loss of baby teeth can also lead to the neighboring teeth shifting or tilting into the space that should have been preserved for the permanent tooth that will later erupt. Baby teeth may be lost early for several reasons, including:
No matter the reason for a lost or missing tooth, our dentists will make certain that, if needed, the space is held to allow for the proper eruption of the permanent tooth. To do so, we may recommend a space maintainer to keep the space open until the permanent tooth erupts. There are several types of space maintainers available, including both removable and fixed options. We will make sure that your child receives the type of space maintainer that best fits their unique needs. For more information on the available types of space maintainers and their benefits, we invite you to contact us soon.
