• Usually a milk tooth stays in until the permanent tooth underneath pushes it out and takes its place. Unfortunately, some children lose a baby tooth long before it is ready to fall off naturally. This happens, most often, when milk teeth have to be extracted because the dental disease is so extensive, even endodontics (root canal treatment) cannot save the tooth.
• When a milk tooth is lost too early, the space remains empty until the permanent tooth is ready to naturally erupt. Teeth on either side of the empty space will drift/tilt and reduce/close the gap.
• When the permanent tooth is ready to erupt after a few years, it will have less or no space in the jaw. This leads to crowding of permanent teeth or teeth getting stuck in the jaw. Extensive orthodontic or surgical correction would be required when the child is older.
• A space maintainer is recommended to hold the space created by early loss of a milk tooth. Once the permanent tooth erupts in place, the space maintainer can be removed.

Space maintainers are appliances made of metal or plastic and are custom fit to your child's mouth. They are small and unobtrusive in appearance. Most children easily adjust to them almost immediately.

We have five rules for space maintainer care:

• First, avoid sticky sweets or chewing gum.
• Second, don't tug or push on the space maintainer with your fingers or tongue.
• Third, keep it clean with conscientious brushing and flossing.
• Fourth, if you find the space maintainer rock or move in the mouth,report to us immediately.
• Fifth, continue regular dental visits.