Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. There is still an opening between the teeth, but it doesn’t look very big. Even if his permanent molars are not in yet, there are still options available to prevent the space from closing. You are correct – those 2nd premolar teeth come in anywhere from 10 to 12 years old according to the eruption chart from the American Dental Association. My daughter is 17 months old and has developed dental carries. Spacers just went in to get ready for the expander brackets. He had a spacer placed, and it came loose — so they simply removed the spacer and said his new teeth would just come in. I have absolutley never posted a question on one of these sites but frankly… I’m freaking. It might be a good idea to get a second opinion from a pediatric dentist, and then try to get your money back or have a new, well-fitting appliance made from this other dentist. He is having alot of problems eating and now has a blister in his mouth from it. Thanks for stopping by Oral Answers! My 5 year old daughter had a tooth removed on her bottom right side. This is the context. The wire looks so uncomfortable and my son says it hurts to chew and his tongue is being scratched by the back crowns. Some pediatricians will prescribe children’s valum. I have had a space maintainer in my mouth for around 9 or 10 years but I think I may have swallowed it while eating… it was originally put in when a baby tooth came out with no adult tooth to replace it. Will a space maintainer still be helpful? Parts of a Dental Implant: The Implant, Abutment, and Crown, Dental Gingival Retraction Cord: What It Is and Why We Use It, What You Should Do When a Crown Falls Off of Your Tooth, Adult Permanent Teeth Coming In Behind Baby Teeth: Shark Teeth, Pain Caused By a High Filling – Why It Happens and How to Fix It. he had developed a cavity in his first molar 7 mths back which the doctor extracted. Since then the tooth became infected and she recently had the tooth extracted. Another thing you could try is to ask your dentist for one of the plastic impression trays. She told me that when the adult tooth came in … Should we just pull the 6 year old molars now and avoid the whole spacer, since he said we are gonna run into the same problem with the 10 or 12 year old molars. Here’s an analogy to illustrate why teeth move. These are the ones that connect with a wire on both sides. When a child complains about tooth or mouth pain, parents will quickly do a visual check for the telltale signs of a cavity. It’s been about 1 mth. What is the possibility that the child swallows the spacer? I have an 8 year old daughter and the destist is telling me that her 6 year old molars are coming in crooked and hitting the baby molars and they are gonna make them fall out. Older children can usually handle the responsibility of wearing this appliance and caring for it properly. I am concerned that this will happen again if I am not doing something I need to to prevent it from coming out again. If she doesn’t get the space she needs for her teeth to come in, they may need to extract 1 or 2 adult teeth. Delores I went to two different dentist and rhey both were hopeful about the outcome with crowns and said her teeth looked like she would not have any problems after. Thank you! she was born well when her teeth first came in instead of her top teeth overlapping the bottom, her bottom teeth overlap her top. When and if you do find signs of infection, what exactly do you do if your child has a tooth infection? My 6 year old grandson had his very back tooth pulled and needs a spacer. Thanks. My daughter is six and lost her bottom tooth beside the permanent mollar the dentist said it was to soon and she needs a spacer so the mollar doesn’t move since it’s permanent it’s going to cost a lot and she isn’t covered what are the chances of this mollar moving. Also called space maintainers, spacers for baby teeth are used when a child's baby tooth is lost prematurely, from being knocked out or from decay. Thanks for your comment, Damian. She has braces now and they are trying to make space she is 9. These devices are used to stop the adjacent teeth from moving into the empty space and causing permanent teeth to come in crooked. My question is; how long will her dentist wait until he has a spacer made for her? I started this site to help you have a better understanding of dentistry so that you can make informed decisions regarding your dental treatment. He agreed that the orthodonist could deal with it later. Yesterday they put one stainless steel crown and filled one cavity and then they offered me the option to wait till next visit to put in the spacer because it was getting late and my son had been there awhile. I had no idea that teeth moved in to fill empty spaces in the mouth. Good luck with everything – Thanks for your comment. my daughter just got removed 4 tooths 2 fronts and 2 in the back that had cavities Thanks! I was wondering if it’s normal for the gum to behave like this since there is currently no tooth to hold it up? I’m afraid that something like this could dislodge and end up somewhere we don’t want it. Click here to read the full disclaimer of Oral Answers. We were thinking why should we put her through all this if in the long run those 6 year molars might end up being pulled. We’re being given the option to do a root canal which i’m hoping can be avoided on a 4 year old who is not good in dental chair; instead i’m asking about an extraction and a spacer. What do i do? is it maybe just going to take some time? You could take it home and practice putting it in your daughter’s mouth so she’ll know what will be happening at the next visit. Or, what would happen if we left the tooth in until it fell out on it’s own? He has a couple spacers but have moved from the area of the dentist/oral surgeon that put these in. Spacers are so ridiculously painful for kids it should be considered child abuse. After that, they will put the space maintainer on her teeth and it shouldn’t hurt. Thank you in advance for sharing your expertise . old and his back tooth was extracted 2 yrs ago. Hi Brian – Good job on taking him to a dentist – many times autistic children do not get into the dentist as soon as they should due to a variety of reasons. A space maintainer will conserve the space left by the extracted tooth. Is it too late? When a child complains about tooth or mouth pain, parents will quickly do a visual check for the telltale signs of a cavity. Is the metal band that is around the molar cemented in place? However, as you stated, getting that tooth pulled out can be traumatic for your son. It could be that your son’s dentist had a good reason for not placing the space maintainer. Good luck, and as was once said: “Blog on Wayne,– Blog on Garth.”. He had spacers put in and has had no problems before now. Due to the illness of the pediatric dentist,(which I was not made aware of until after our first time visit to the office in August -in August they had another dentist evaluate my son’s month. If, for some reason, your child may need to lose a tooth prematurely, a dentist may recommend and insert an orthodontic spacer, or space maintainer. You may want to go to a pediatric dentist to get their opinion on whether a space maintainer will be beneficial at this point since it’s only been seventh months. It should not replace a visit to a health professional. he said there was no need of a space maintainer. He has crowns around both back teeth and a wrinkled wire running between them. I recently took my 7 year old daughter to the dentist. I have a 16 year old and a 14 year old. When he leaves, there is a small opening in the crowd where he used to be excitedly waiting. Is there any difference between now and in two months to add the space maintainer? i tend to drive myself crazy over everything when it involves my children. Any advice you can share with us would be greatly appreciated! How soon after the tooth is extracted should the spacer be placed in . That’s pretty much how it works in the mouth. My Daughter had a molar extracted and a spacer put in. I’m getting one of my teeth pulled out in a few days and I am going to get a space maintainer then I get braces on top of that. There's no need to even register to leave a comment, although you might want to read the commenting guidelines. I think this spacer is mostly for cosmetic reasons? What do I do? Thanks for your comment, Natalie! She currently just got spacers in to get ready for an extender (expander) because her upper teeth are crowded and her bite on the front teeth don’t over lap, meet on top of each other. Thanks so much! Is the space maintainer is must? In the picture to the left, you can see how the lower teeth of a six year old child might appear with a missing baby tooth — the first molar. Thanks. My pallat is extremely small so I had lots of teeth removed as an adult and I’m afraid they’ve inherited it. Thanks for your comment! She is only nine. please guide me. Do you suggest anything else. My son had his 2nd molars extracted due to cavaties he was 4 yrs old at the time. Home pain treatment may include cold compresses will reduce swelling, sticking to soft foods while your child is still numb, washing the mouth with warm salt water rinses, no sucking through straws because that can pull the clot off, no spicy or acidic foods because that could irritate the healing gums, and alternating Tylenol and Motrin every three hours helps keep your child comfortable. Straight, white and beautiful. Hi Brittany – I’m just going by what I’ve learned in dental school. (usually the lingual part), When I was in dental school, I had no time (and no money) to blog or do pretty much anything else other than school. If a space maintainer is not used, the jaw may never grow to its full potential and consequently it might not have room for all of the permanent teeth, necessitating the removal of some teeth along with orthodontic treatment (braces). I imagine that it would probably be a lot easier for the child to eat and keep the area clean with that design. You can also have your child gently hold gauze over any areas in their mouth that are bleeding. He has stopped it up with a little cement(all ok with that for now) but my concern is my gums, my molar root is still in my gum so how long can for an appointment b4 the gum starts to grow around my tooth?? Elastic spacers are typically placed in order to make space available for a more long-term appliance to be placed in the mouth and are therefore used for only 1 to 2 weeks. Let her know that at the next visit, it will be fun – they will put some gel in her mouth that will get hard, they will take it out and then make a model of her teeth. If it is causing discomfort and pain, it would be a good idea to have it looked at by the dentist to ensure that everything is alright. I understand that you’re reluctant to go through with this since things didn’t go very well with your husband. Well today out of nowhere and for no apparent reason one of her front crowns just completely fell off with her tooth leaving no mote than a tiny stub in the area where her tooth was. i am going to make him an appointment with a pediatric dentist in the morning hopefully they can get him in rather soon. The Dentist/Orthodontist suggested to put retainer because there is not enough space. Thanks for stopping by! Hi Tom, My 8 year old son is on his way to get spacers put in before braces next week. I am worried about his adult teeth not coming in straight. Our other option is pulling the tooth and placing a spacer. Today is sunday and tomorrow is memorial day and everything is closed. If he teeth moved, then will he need braces because we were forced to wait on getting the spacer placed promptly? I plan to wear brace in the next two years when I get back to my country ( because now I am abroad.) I hope that helps – Let me know if you have any other questions. on all the pictures i’ve seen so far ( including the ones you posted from your practice ) i have’t seen any where they sort of ” rest in the air ” . I was wondering if I needed to go back to the dentist to have them fix this? Well we just got done with her first appointment. Spacers are either circular rubber bands about a centimeter in diameter placed … Great post. My daughter is having a molar removed (actually the same one from your pictures) due to it being fused to her jaw. After that Dentist kept rescheduling. Have a great weekend! After the consultation, extractions, the X-rays, the spacers and the extras… I was hit with a 3000+ bill. Luckily, since there shouldn’t be any pain with her next appointment, it may not be necessary. Our dentist wants to pull them and put spacers in for 4 – 6 months. While there isn’t a permanent tooth to wait for, spacers do keep and protect space left by a tooth. It’s a struggle to fit everything in, but I look forward to blogging – it’s relaxing and fun to be able to learn about different aspects of dentistry that real people have questions about. I hope that helped. The pediatric dentist will prescribe and antibiotic for a dental abscess (if the tooth isn’t treated right away) and/or facial swelling. Thank you in advance! Any suggestions. The importance of tooth brushing is essential in preventing tooth pain in children. Here are eight common causes of a throbbing toothache, along with treatment options and self-care tips. As for getting her to go back here’s a few suggestions: 1 – You can be honest with her and tell her that her permanent teeth might not come in if she doesn’t get the space maintainer. it’s approx 2-3 mm above the gumline making it so much more uncomfortable . Hi Janete – I’m sorry to hear that. Is this normal? How much more will her mouth pallets grow? Any advice? damian. shewas late getting teeth and late to start loosing them. Keep us updated on what happens at the appointment. Is is done the same day or a week later? im not sure if you know. An orthodontic spacer, commonly referred to simply as a spacer, are rubber bands or metal appliances used in orthodontics. Not sure if I should push for an earlier appointment I am concerned with shifting . I solder one side, clip it about 2 inches long, bring it to the patient, try it on measure and bend it into an L shape, clipping off the excess. How long from extraction to a spacer being required….our dentist said about 6 weeks. i was researching spacers as thats what my 8 year old dentist said she might need. The only time you wouldn’t need a space maintainer is if the permanent teeth are expected to come into the mouth within six months. These devices are used to stop the adjacent teeth from moving into the empty space and causing permanent teeth to come in crooked. I don’t fully understand why she has so many cavities and needs so much work done because she brushes her teeth twice a day. A space maintainer is commonly referred to as simply a spacer. I’m not very found of removing adult teeth and neither is the orthodontist. When a tooth is lost, the teeth next to the lost tooth will move into the lost space since the lost tooth can no longer exert its pressure on the adjacent teeth. I have an 11 year old son who needs 6 teeth removed – one ortho says he needs a maintainer and the other says a retainer (he says it helps if my son grinds his teeth) what is the big difference – I do know the retainer does cost a bit more? We have a son age 9 now. No! I know once was because her gram let her have gum (not any longer) but the other times she says she hasn’t had any chewy/sticky foods. We had the same issues with my son. Is this normal? How common is this issue of teeth being fused with the jaw. How long approx. While tooth pain is relatively normal in children, it can also mean there is a larger issue at hand. That side needed two baby root canals and one tooth pulled. I noticed some molars coming in in the back. Also called space maintainers, dental spacers in teeth are used to support a child’s mouth until their permanent teeth come in. Hi Tom, our son is 7 and we were told by his dentist that he needs a “baby root canal” in his bottom left molar. We have stickers and silly bands in our pediatric dentistry department and we tell the kids that if they open their mouths for us they can have some stickers and silly bands. How long will the pain and discomfort last? Children who feel discomfort after a spacer has been placed can be offered cool, soft foods to eat (like puddings) and over-the-counter pain … Apply an over-the-counter dental anesthetic, following your product's instructions 1. I worry that now the spacer is out, his teeth will move around because it will be years until his permanent teeth come in! Hi, My daughter is 7 years old, Dr. advised to extract tooth B & I, and she was telling us to put the space maintainer. I have a 3-year-old who I was told will need 2 teeth removed and two spacers….by one dentist, another said the teeth can be capped and saved. My question is, is this necessary? What a Frenectomy is and Why Your Child Might Need One. Is it just the pressure of those teeth pushing against the teeth and spacer? Because of the swelling, there is talk about removing the tooth and using a spacer. I don’t want to have to put her under and permanent teeth. The other problem she has is her mouth is more of an 11 yr old. Orthodontic separators (also known as spacers) are rubber bands or metal appliances used in orthodontics.Spacers are placed between the molars at the second orthodontic appointment before molar bands are applied. Let me know if you have any other questions. My 6 year old son had crowns placed on”S” and “T”. Most children easily adjust to them after the first few days. Most children complain about the “numb feeling” more than any pain or discomfort associated with the extraction. My son is 7 1/2… I questioned them (twice) and was assured that these permanent teeth would indeed come in correctly. Every time we go back to have it replaced they charge $60 . Hi Brittany – Based on what I’ve been taught in my three years of dental school, your son probably should have had what we call a “Distal Shoe” space maintainer put in right after his 2nd molars were extracted. My question is do these come out on there own or do i need to take him to a dentist to have them removed? I was told that the carries developed probably as a result of me night nursing her which I no longer do and that I should be extra careful about making sure she doesnt eat any hard or sticky goods as that could cause the crown to come off which I jave done. The space maintainer that our pediatric dentist showed me had a metal bar next to his bottom front teeth… kind of like a retainer. None of it should be painful at all. the spacer came out one week later while he was talking [not eating]. A dental spacer keeps the teeth at their place and guards the space. I think your writing style will serve you well as it speaks much as I try to write, as if you are speaking to a patient. Thanks for your comment, Rekha! what will happen if there isn’t enough room for the permanant teeth to come in or if a space maintainer can’t be placed? The cost is $600. I have left a message with the dentist waiting on reply, but haven’t got one yet. Pain Management 36 years experience If a primary tooth : a space maintainer may be recommended to save the space. hello, Need help! His father and I have concerns with either alternative and need advice on which is the better option. The only way I know of to create enough room is through orthodontics. Will his teeth shift if we wait until that checkup or should we make a special appointment as soon as possible to have it replaced? The replacement tooth (the mandibular premolar) usually comes in between the ages of 10 and 12, so your son will be looking at 3-5 more years until that tooth comes in. How many years does my son have to walk around with his smile altered? Now i went to see someone else and it is too late. This time it’s loose again and again she says she hasn’t had any chewy/sticky foods. How much of a problem is this Just last week she was put to sleep and had crowns placed on her first four front teeth on the top. The gum is still a lil red and irrated. Purpose of Space Maintainers. As for the baby root canal, that could be the better option. He had two molars pulled due to a bounce house incident. How would they place a space maintainer to keep it open? Our concern with the “baby root canal” is what if they don’t remove all of the bad stuff and it becomes abcessed (that happened to my husband). My question is would his teeth have moved in the last month or was it a bad impression ? He smiled and laughed and said, “Hey that kid has teeth that look like mine!” Now the vibe is “no big deal.” Instead of nervous unknowns. We just visited a new dentist since she has been complaining the past few weeks of her front bottom molar hurting which clearly I see has a cavity. she lost her 2 teeth to the right and left of her two front teeth on the bottom about 5 months ago maybe longer. And the cement that they use to make the space maintainer stay in your mouth has fluoride in it so your teeth stay clean!!!!!!!! Is there a tooth or something more comfortable than this wire? I have a spacer and I am go to get It taken off tomorrow beacons my tooth is coming in can you give me some info when I getting my sparser taken out, thank you for your quick response i am looking into dentist that use laughing gas so her nest visit wont be as painful as last one, they did promised me they used the laughing gas but rite after i signed the $800 dollar tab they said they dont even use it, thanks for your help it is really nice to hear an honest opinion By the way you can make a Band and “L” by using only one solder joint–works quite well and is easy and fast to make while the patient is waiting in the chair. I know i can control what she eats in the house but i am concerned about her when she is at day care. I have terrible Mom guilt. what should i do now? Is this standard, or should they have given the gums time to heal before putting in the spacers as they told me they would? Your best bet would probably be to take him to a pediatric dentist to find out if there is still room. They are usually added a week before you get your braces, but can sometimes be added after. My concern is that he told me that she’ll need braces and that her mouth is too small and she will need teeth pulled. I love all the posts, I really enjoyed, I would like more information about this, because it is very nice.. Hello, my son got a spacer a year ago and this morning the wire moved and its hurting him, how can I take a spacer of myself? They were going to put him to sleep to get dental work done. Thanks. Do you have any questions or comments about space maintainers (spacers)? Many thanks After that, they would just need to put the space maintainer in. One of them has fallen out twice in 5 months…causing concern (choking on metal spacer ),restricted diet, expense and most of all…the child is now fearfiul of this whole experience and so are we all. My daughter has 2 lower spacers and 2 upper spacers. Could you please tell me if it can cause problems if the spacer is pushing down on the gums where the extracted tooth had been? A child tooth spacer helps ensure the current teeth are properly aligned, even as new ones are getting ready to erupt and they can help avoid the need for braces down the road, not to mention prevent pain and discomfort. I have been watching it closely. My 7 year old son got his 2 molars extracted last year and just got his spacers put 2 days back. That sounds like a much more efficient method of making a band and loop spacer. We went to get it checked out and she has 4 cavities one being that one which is the worst one. Also, the teeth above the lost tooth will erupt a little more to fill in the space below. Second option leaves me worried about my son’s future dentist visits if this becomes traumatic for him. Hi, Hi Dr. Brandon – Thanks for the kind words! My daughter got her spacer put in because molar was extracted. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed and get updates whenever a new article is posted! Obviously, I would discuss your concerns with your son’s dentist. My understanding was that the permanent molars (replacing the pulled teeth) were 10-12 year molars. Also called space maintainers, spacers for baby teeth are used when a child's baby tooth is lost prematurely, from being knocked out or from decay. Once the tooth is removed, the socket is open and the infection can drain out, since infections take the path of least resistance. Pulpitis: What’s the Difference Between Reversible Pulpitis and Irreversible Pulpitis? My son just had a spacer put in two days ago. My 3 year old daughter had trauma to her front tooth from a fall about a year and a half ago. Is this normal??????? Any other reasons the spacers on the bottom keep coming loose? I saw the x-ray, and the big girl teeth are slightly angled, but nothing extreme in my opinion or the dentist’s opinion. That usually works. A child prone to tooth decay may need dental checkups up to four times a year. My son got spacers but they didn’t look anything like the pics u posted they pulled two back teeth one on top and bottom and the metal piece attach to the back teeth on top and bottom both sides not even where the other teeth are coming in and yes the other teeth are coming in as I asked the dentist why pull the teeth when the others are right behind them…..wish I could send a pic for they don’t look right and every visit seems like all children his age are getting spacers ?????