Pediatric Dental Appliances

Our pediatric specialists often use dental appliances to prevent or treat dental problems in young children. By using pediatric dental appliances, we can often prevent injury to the teeth and reduce the need for more extensive treatments in the future. We welcome you to call The Dentists for Kids at 210-696-2563 to schedule your appointment with Dr. Peter Gurr and Dr. Scott Jensen and learn more about pediatric dental appliances in San Antonio, Texas.

There are many types of pediatric dental appliances available. We have provided information about the most common types of appliances below, and encourage you to contact our office if you have any questions about these appliances.

Mouth Guards
Both the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and the American Dental Association (ADA) recommend that children wear athletic mouth guards when participating in any activity where they could receive an injury, including sports and other recreational activities. There are several types of athletic mouth guards available, from custom appliances to boil-and-bite mouth guards purchased at sporting goods stores.

Space Maintainers
Occasionally, children lose their baby teeth too early. When this occurs, the surrounding teeth will shift into the space and cause problems with the bite and tooth alignment. Our pediatric dentists provide space maintainers to act as placeholders until the permanent teeth are ready to come in. Space maintainers may be removable or fixed in place.

Expansion Appliances
Several types of bad bites, including overbites and crossbites, can be corrected with expansion appliances. Expanders work by stretching and widening the dental arch so that the teeth have enough space to be realigned properly. Expansion appliances may also be used before oral surgery for children with cleft palates.

For more information about pediatric dental appliances, and to schedule a consultation with our caring dental professionals, please call our office today.