Space maintainers help “hold space” for permanent teeth. Your child may need one if he or she loses a baby tooth prematurely, before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt. If a milk tooth is lost too early, the space for permanent tooth under it may close. As a result, the permanent tooth may get blocked or erupt in a wrong position leading to orthodontic problems.

To prevent this from happening, the dentist may recommend a space maintainer to hold open the space left by the missing tooth.