Though many parents think of “teenagers” when presented with the term “dental appliances,” the use of such appliances in young children is very common.  Some dental appliances may be recommended for preventative purposes, while others may be recommended for treatment purposes.

What types of pediatric dental appliance are most common?

There are many types of pediatric dental appliances – each one fulfilling a different dental function.  The major categories of pediatric dental appliance are described below:

Mouth Guards

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and American Dental Association (ADA) recommend that children wear mouth guards when engaging in any potentially injurious activity, including sporting and recreational endeavors.

The dentist can craft a customized mouth guard for the child, or a thermoplastic “boil-and-bite” mouth guard can be purchased at a sporting goods store.  Similar mouth guards are used for children who “brux” or grind their teeth at night.

Space Maintainers

Sometimes, primary (baby) teeth are lost prematurely due to trauma or decay.  Adjacent teeth tend to shift to fill the space, causing spacing and alignment problems for permanent (adult) teeth.  Space maintainers or “spacers” are inserted as placeholders until the permanent teeth are ready to erupt.  

Thumb Sucking Appliances

The majority of children naturally outgrow their thumb-sucking habit.  However, children who continue to thumb suck after the age of five or six (especially vigorously) risk oral complications.  These complications include: narrowed arches, impacted teeth, and misaligned teeth.  The “palatal crib” appliance usually stops thumb sucking immediately.

The “crib” is crafted and affixed to the teeth by the dentist, almost like a barely visible set of dental braces.  Preventing the thumb from reaching the roof of the mouth reduces gratification.

Expansion Appliances

An overbite, where the upper front teeth protrude over the lower front teeth, can be corrected with an expansion appliance, as can a crossbite.  The expansion appliance is used to stretch and widen the arch, providing enough space for the teeth to be realigned in a straight manner.  Expansion appliances are custom-made, and can be affixed to the inside or the outside of the teeth.  Children born with a cleft palate may be required to wear an expansion appliance to prepare the jaw for oral surgery.