Interceptive Orthodontics

Space maintainers are custom made for your child’s mouth. They are discreet in appearance. Most kids easily adjust to them after a few days. Space maintainers hold the empty space left by the early loss of a tooth. Space maintainers prevent drifting of adjacent teeth until the un-erupted permanent tooth naturally erupts into position. If drifting occurs, permanent teeth may become impacted or erupt in poor alignment. Proper instructions will be provided to you and your child on the proper maintenance of the space maintainer appliance.

The goal of interceptive orthodontics is to influence the growth and development of the jaws (or other oral structures) in a way that that would be more difficult or impossible to do at an older age. It is effective only while the body is still growing — that’s why it begins early, and why it isn’t recommended for adults. But when done at the right time, it offers results that otherwise couldn’t be achieved without longer or more invasive treatments: namely, a healthier smile with better aesthetics and improved function.

Guiding Jaw Growth to Avoid Extractions

One common situation where it may be advantageous to consider interceptive orthodontics is when the jaws are not quite large enough to accommodate all of the permanent teeth. When those teeth begin coming in, they may erupt (emerge from the gums) in poor alignment, or too close to one another. This kind of malocclusion (“mal” – bad; “occlusion” – bite) results from too much crowding and not enough space in the jaw. It can not only make it harder to maintain good oral hygiene, but may also make you unhappy with the appearance of your smile.

If treatment is needed, the traditional method would be to wait until most of the permanent teeth have erupted, commonly around age 10-13. One or more teeth could then be extracted to reduce crowding, and braces would be used to improve the smile’s appearance. But interceptive orthodontics takes a different approach: instead of waiting for the permanent teeth, a child at age 7 to 9 is fitted with a special appliance called an expander. These devices gradually widen the developing bones of the jaws, creating enough room to accommodate all of the teeth and eliminating the need for extractions.