Space Maintainers are used to hold spaces for un-erupted permanent teeth if the baby teeth are lost too early. They are cemented with sticky glue that can be washed away by saliva over time. They may or may not be placed using local anesthesia. Spacers can be dislodged with sticky candy such as taffy, Now & Laters, and caramel so please avoid these and most other candies. Your child should also not pick at the spacer with his/her fingernails. The continued need and fit of the spacer will be evaluated at each recall visit. We will eventually need to remove the space maintainer to allow eruption of the permanent tooth.