What Are Spacers?

You Need Spacers for Braces – What Is That?

If your dentist or orthodontist has examined your teeth and suggests that you need braces, you are first outfitted with ‘spacers.’ Spacers and brace technology allows dentists to tailor fit men and women in with the perfect dental orthodontics.

Naturally, braces are designed to help align teeth that are crooked, misaligned, or crowded. Around two weeks before your orthodontist fits you for braces, you will first be fitted with spacers in the area where your braces will go.

Types of Orthodontic Spacers

Spacers are inserted on either side of the teeth involved. A spacer is a dental device that is also called ‘separators.’ Spacers or separators help to create a space between the teeth so that your dentist can attach the molar band before your braces. There are two types of spacers:

• Rubber Spacers
• Metal Spacers

Rubber orthodontic spacers are what a dental professional most commonly uses. Rubber band spacers are centimeter sized rubber rings or bands. The spacers are fitted in between your teeth, then stretched around the tooth area for the braces. When the rubber spacers push the teeth to create a space, it will bounce back to its original size.

Yes, some rubber spacers will fall out which is anticipated. But save them and bring them to Speaks Orthodontics so that we can exam the condition of your teeth. A mental spacer is the second option only when a rubber spacer is not giving the results that your dentist or orthodontist is expecting.

Do I Really Need The Discomfort of Spacers?

Orthodontic spacers are a necessary evil that precedes you being fitted for braces. This is because many people say that spacers or separators feel like you have something stuck in your teeth, which you do, but it feels like you should use a toothpick and remove it. However, this feeling does not last long because within a couple of days, just when you get use to spacers, your dentist will soon be ready to remove them to fit you with braces. Teeth don’t normally have spaces in between them to fit braces, therefore spacers must be used to create a slight gap environment for the eventual fit for braces that are designed to fit in between the spaces created.