Space Maintainers
After placing a spacer, your child may complain that it feels tight. This can be the case if the tooth behind the space has slightly shifted forward since we took the impression for the spacer at a previous appointment. This tooth will shift back into place with the placement of the spacer. Children’s pain reliever can be administered to reduce this discomfort.
Helping your child to take care of their space maintainer is important. Your child should avoid sticky candies, a few examples of such candies include Now and Laters, Carmel, Laffy Taffy, Milk Duds, Sugar Daddies, Gummi Bears, Bit O Honey and Jolly Ranchers. Also gums containing sugar should be avoided.
Your child’s space maintainers will be checked during future routine exams to insure that they have not been loosened from the tooth, or that the tooth, which the space is being held for, hasn’t begun to come in.