While many people associate "dental appliances" with teenagers getting braces, these devices are actually quite common for young children too. Pediatric dentists might recommend them to help prevent dental issues or to treat existing ones.

Getting young children to consistently wear dental appliances that they can take out can be tricky, but there's good news. These appliances can protect teeth from injury and might also reduce or even eliminate the need for more extensive dental treatments later in life.

What types of pediatric dental appliance are most common?

There are many different kinds of dental devices designed for children, each with a specific dental function. The main categories are described below:

Mouth Guards

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Dental Association (ADA) recommend that children wear mouth guards when participating in any activity where there's a chance of getting hurt, including sports and recreational activities. Pediatric dentists can create custom-fitted mouth guards for children, or a thermoplastic "boil-and-bite" mouth guard can be bought at a sporting goods store. Similar mouth guards are also used for children who grind their teeth (bruxism) at night.

Space Maintainers

Sometimes, primary (baby) teeth are lost too early because of an injury or tooth decay. When this happens, the teeth next to the empty space tend to shift into it, which can cause problems with how the permanent (adult) teeth come in and line up. Space maintainers, or "spacers," are used to keep the space open until the permanent teeth are ready to erupt. There are two main types:

Fixed space maintainers: Depending on where the missing tooth is and the condition of the teeth around it, the pediatric dentist might attach a "band and loop," a "crown and loop," or a "distal shoe" type of spacer to fill the gap. All these spacers do the same thing; only how they are attached to the nearby teeth is different. Fixed spacers are usually made of metal and are very durable. If a missing tooth is in a visible spot, a tooth-colored plastic button can be added to make it look better.
Removable space maintainers: Removable spacers are not often used with young children. Working somewhat like orthodontic retainers, they have special plastic parts that fit into the empty space to stop the neighboring teeth from moving.

Thumb Sucking Appliances

Most children naturally stop sucking their thumbs as they get older. However, children who continue this habit after the age of five or six, especially if they do it with a lot of force, can develop problems with their mouths. These problems include narrowed dental arches, teeth that get stuck, and teeth that don't line up correctly. The "palatal crib" appliance usually stops thumb sucking very quickly. The "crib" is custom-made and attached to the teeth by the pediatric dentist, almost like a barely noticeable set of dental braces. By stopping the thumb from reaching the roof of the mouth, it makes it less satisfying and helps break the habit quickly. Removable versions of the "crib" are also available and can be used depending on the child's age and how willing they are to work with it.

Expansion Appliances

An overbite, where the upper front teeth stick out too far over the lower front teeth, and a crossbite can be fixed using an expansion appliance. This appliance works by gently making the dental arch wider, creating enough room for the teeth to line up straight. Expansion appliances are custom-made and can be attached to the inside or the outside of the teeth. Children born with a cleft lip and/or palate might need to wear an expansion appliance or a Nasal Alveolar Molding (NAM) appliance to get their mouth and lip ready for surgery.

If you have any questions or concerns about dental devices for your child, please talk to their pediatric dentist.