Understanding Pediatric Dental Appliances
At Sky Pediatric Dentistry in Glasgow, KY, we understand that dental appliances aren't just for teenagers. In fact, they are commonly used in young children for both preventative and treatment purposes. While encouraging children to wear removable dental appliances regularly can be challenging, these appliances play a vital role in preventing future dental issues, which could help avoid more extensive treatments down the line.
Common Types of Pediatric Dental Appliances
Pediatric dental appliances come in a variety of types, each serving a specific function. Here are the major categories of dental appliances commonly used in children:
- Mouth Guards: The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and American Dental Association (ADA) recommend that children wear mouth guards during activities with potential for injury, such as sports or recreational activities. At Sky Pediatric Dentistry, we can create custom mouth guards for your child, or you can purchase a “boil-and-bite” version from a sporting goods store. These mouth guards are also helpful for children who grind their teeth, known as bruxism, especially at night.
- Space Maintainers: If a primary (baby) tooth is lost early due to injury or decay, adjacent teeth can shift into the empty space, causing alignment issues for permanent teeth. Space maintainers are used to prevent this from happening by holding the space open until the permanent teeth are ready to emerge. There are two main types:
- Fixed Space Maintainers: These are affixed to the adjacent teeth using various attachments, such as a “band and loop,” “crown and loop,” or “distal shoe” spacer. These are durable and typically made from metal, but acrylic buttons can be added for aesthetic purposes if a visible tooth is missing.
- Removable Space Maintainers: These are less commonly used in young children and resemble orthodontic retainers, fitting into the gap to prevent shifting of adjacent teeth.
- Thumb Sucking Appliances
Many children naturally stop thumb-sucking as they grow older. However, persistent thumb-sucking after the age of five or six can lead to complications such as misalignment or narrowing of the dental arches. The “palatal crib” appliance is an effective solution to help break this habit by preventing the thumb from reaching the roof of the mouth. This appliance can be custom-made and is often barely noticeable. For children who are more cooperative, removable variations are also available. - Expansion Appliances
Expansion appliances are used to correct overbites (when the upper teeth protrude over the lower teeth) and crossbites (when the upper teeth are misaligned with the lower teeth). These appliances help widen the dental arch, creating enough space for teeth to realign properly. They are custom-made and can be placed inside or outside the teeth. Children with cleft lip and/or palate may also need an expansion appliance to prepare their mouth for surgical repair.
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