Why Would My Child Need a Dental Flipper?

A dental flipper in Westwood, KS is a type of artificial tooth, one that people of all ages can use to cover up a gap. If you’re unfamiliar with it, you might wonder why a child would need one, and what purpose it could possibly serve when they’re permanent teeth are on the way. Here, we’ll look at how flippers work and why your child might need one.

What Is a Flipper?

A dental flipper is a temporary device, meaning it’s not as permanent as a dental bridge, dental implant, or even a partial denture. It can be used to replace one tooth or multiple missing teeth, giving the mouth more structural support for everyday pressure (including crunchy foods and blunt trauma).

Why Would My Child Need One?

Children’s oral health can be remarkably resilient, especially considering how many bumps and bruises many kids sustain as they grow up, but it’s by no means impervious. Flippers are used as a stopgap before a more permanent solution can be offered. So, if your child lost a permanent tooth due to a fall, they may need a flipper to cover the gap until their jawbone is strong enough for a dental implant.

Will My Child Need a Flipper if They Lost a Baby Tooth?

As a general rule, a dentist in Westwood, KS won’t recommend a flipper for a child with a lost baby tooth — not even if that baby tooth is lost before it should be. Instead, they’ll usually use a space maintainer to give the permanent tooth some time to grow in without the other teeth crowding the way.

If you have questions about flippers, the pediatric team at NKC Dental can help you and your child fill in the gaps (both literally and figuratively)!