Currently, the phenomena of dental caries and traumatic loss of deciduous teeth in children are becoming more and more frequent. How to deal with the premature loss of deciduous teeth and ensure the normal eruption of permanent teeth has become a major concern for parents. The expert team of the Stomatological Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University has provided professional advice on the application of space maintainers.
Experts say that a space maintainer is a device used to maintain the space of the missing deciduous tooth in the dental arch after the premature loss of deciduous teeth. It can prevent the adjacent teeth from tilting and the opposite teeth from over-erupting, and "reserve a space" for the eruption of permanent teeth.
In clinical practice, severe dental caries of deciduous teeth, pulpitis, or trauma, etc., are likely to lead to the premature loss of deciduous teeth. Many parents think that it doesn't matter if deciduous teeth fall out early, as permanent teeth will erupt anyway. But in fact, deciduous teeth play a crucial role in the development of teeth, jaws, and muscles. They have functions such as chewing, pronunciation, and aesthetics, and can also guide the normal eruption of permanent teeth. The caries or premature loss of deciduous teeth will affect the growth of permanent teeth, leading to problems such as difficult eruption and misaligned eruption. The space maintainer can not only stabilize the distance between teeth, but also help the normal development of the alveolar bone, jawbone, and dental arch, maintain the functions of chewing and pronunciation, ensure the normal movement of the mandible and occlusal relationship, and prevent occlusal disorders.
Children may feel uncomfortable when they first wear a space maintainer, but it usually subsides in about two weeks. Experts remind that there are several points to note when wearing it: You can only drink water and gargle half an hour after cementation, and eat two hours later. Avoid overly sticky foods such as rice cakes, zongzi, and nougat to prevent the maintainer from falling off. Regularly clean the mouth, because the maintainer is prone to accumulate food residues and bacteria, and frequent cleaning can prevent the growth of bacteria. In addition, it is recommended to have a reexamination every 3 to 6 months to facilitate the doctor to adjust the maintainer in a timely manner.