Space Maintainers
The purpose of your child's space maintainer is to keep open the space needed for a permanent tooth that has yet to erupt. It will be left in place up to the time when the new permanent tooth can be seen breaking through the gum tissues.
It is important that the child avoids chewing gum, eating sticky things like taffy and gummy bears and hard items like corn nuts and ice. These snacks can get wrapped around the wire or can bend the wire, causing the appliance to break or become loose. Your child should also avoid prying or poking at the wire with his/her fingers.
Checking the space maintainer periodically will insure that it is still properly placed. If it happens to break or becomes loose, please be sure to call our office during the first business day thereafter so that we can decide if the appliance needs to be recemented or remade.
