Learn how I shaped the vision for SmileKeeper™, a fully customized, metal-free, 3D printed space maintainer developed for children who lose a baby tooth early.
SmileKeeper™ was created to offer a gentler, more child-centered approach to preserving space for permanent teeth, blending advanced digital scans and precise CAD/CAM technology with the care and comfort our young clients deserve.
Charting the path:
From the very beginning of my career in pediatric dentistry and early orthodontics, I’ve given much thought to how I can elevate kids’ dental experiences and make their oral health encounters softer, more educational, and super comfortable. I’d often ask myself: What if kids could be treated with fully customized, esthetic dental solutions just like adults can? Why do we cut kids short when it comes to implementing dental technology? And how will kids react to elevated dental care?
This deep desire to offer better solutions to my child clients led me down the path of innovation. If a solution wasn’t present, why not create it? Dental technology is an investment. One based on the betterment of care and an increase in comfort that is essential for a positive dental experience. And, yes, most kids do replace all of their primary teeth with permanent ones. But this doesn’t happen overnight. I see many teenagers who still have primary molars at 14 and 15 years of age.
When I embarked on mastering 3D printing and CAD/CAM dentistry, I knew that I would finally be able to offer custom-designed, child-friendly, esthetic and restorative pediatric dental care. My excitement was limitless as I began redesigning traditional pediatric appliances for 3D printing possibilities. These innovations required testing, developing, and diligent follow up. It is now time to start sharing them. I would like to proudly introduce “SmileKeeper TM”
What is a space maintainer?
As much as we honor oral and dental well-being, there are times when a child loses a baby tooth earlier than nature intended, whether from a cavity, an accident, or an extraction. It is in these instances that the importance of primary teeth is truly highlighted. Because, if the site of the lost primary molar is not well-preserved, something subtle but important begins to happen in the child’s mouth:
- Neighboring teeth drift.
- Space begins to close.
- The room reserved for an incoming permanent tooth narrows.
Traditionally, pediatric dentists place a metal band-and-loop space maintainer to hold this precious space open. The bands sit on an adjacent molar and the loop extends to touch the tooth further forward. The appliances require an impression and lab fabrication. More recently, band and loop kits became available on the market. These kits offer the great advantage of chair-side asembly, skipping lab fabrication, saving valuable time and mutiple appointments for the child ad their parent. However, they are far from custom-fit. The best size is chosen from the kit and adjusted as best as possible.
But today’s kids get more:
- More comfort
- More biocompatibility
- More beauty
- More gentleness
- More modern dentistry
What is “SmileKeeper TM” ?
SmileKeeper is a next-generation, 3D printed, child-friendly space maintainer designed to protect smiles without the bulk, discomfort, or frustration of older technology. It is esthetic, completely metal-free and can even replace the lost tooth. It is growth-friendly and easily adjustable to allow for dental arch development. It is also easy to remove with a simple polishing.
Why “SmileKeeper TM” Was Born: A Better Path for Kids
For years, I watched children:
- Bite their cheeks around metal wires
- Struggle to clean around a large band
- Get food trapped
- Come in with loose appliances
- Ask about metal bands
Parents would often ask: “Is there something more comfortable? More modern? There really wasn’t much. So, I created it. “SmileKeeper TM” is pediatric dentistry evolving toward comfort and precision.
Smile Keeper is the result of:
- Elevated pediatric dentistry
- 3D printing innovation
- CAD/CAM design
- Digital oral scans
- And years of seeing what truly supports children
What Makes “SmileKeeper TM” Different?
- No Metal, No Wires
Smile Keeper is designed digitally and custom printed for your child without metal bands or poking wires. The design is a monolithic design so the appliance is entirely printed in one piece our of a liquid resin that is FDA approved for oral care.
- Ultra-Light, Ultra-Comfortable and Completely Esthetic
Kids forget it’s in their mouth, which is exactly the goal.
- 3D Precision Fit
Digital scans mean “SmileKeeper TM” is designed for a perfect fit for your child’s unique anatomy using a precise digital impression or oral scan.
- Gentle on Gums + Easier to Clean
- Smooth contours.
- No sharp edges.
- Better hygiene.
- Less plaque.
- Beautiful, Invisible Design
- Barely visible.
- Blends into the smile.
- Perfect for photos, confidence, and comfort.
- Fewer Appointments
Because it is prefabricated, SmileKeeper is ready to go before any tooth has been removed. This is the magic of digital dentistry and CAD/CAM designs. In addion, the apliances fits right away, so there’s less need for returns or troubleshooting.
Who Is “SmileKeeper TM” For?
Smile Keeper is ideal for children who lost a baby molar early (early childhood caries or trauma) and kids who struggle with traditional metal appliances when space needs to be preserved gently and beautifully,
Designed With Heart, Printed With Precision
“SmileKeeper TM” is more than a device. It is part of the mission I’ve carried for two decades to bring leading-edge digital dentistry to children in the gentlest, most joyful way possible. When a child sits in my chair, I see:
- Their future smile
- Their confidence
- Their wellbeing
- The ripple effect of early, positive dental experiences. “SmileKeeper TM” protects that future comfortably and beautifully.
A New Standard in Pediatric Dentistry
We are leading the way nationally on:
- Advanced pediatric intraoral scanning
- CAD/CAM pediatric design
- Biocompatible 3D printing for kids and teens
- Custom, metal-free space maintainers
“SmileKeeper TM” is part of that evolution.
If your child recently lost a baby tooth early…
Or you’ve been told a space maintainer is needed…
“SmileKeeper TM” may be the perfect fit.
We will gently evaluate your child, scan comfortably and quickly, and create a kids space maintainer made just for them because their smile deserves the best.
👉 Call us at Smiles Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics Or schedule a consultation on our website
FAQ:
- What is a space maintainer for kids and why might my child need one?
A space maintainer is an oral appliance that is used to hold the space of a primary molar (baby molar) that needed to be removed prematurely due to unrestorability. This can happen when a primary molar has a large carious lesion (cavity) that has damaged the tooth beyond repair and the permanent tooth that is developing to replace it is far from coming in the mouth.
- What happens if a baby tooth is lost too early without space maintenance?
Without holding the space in the dental arch for a prematurely lost primary molar, the adjacent teeth will tip into that space blocking the future permanent tooth from coming in properly.
- How does a 3D printed space maintainer work?
Like a traditional metal band and loop space maintainer, a 3D printed space maintainer holds the space for the future permanent tooth that is developing. It is bonded onto the adjacent molar (primary or permanent) and extends into the space of the missing baby tooth.
- How is SmileKeeper™ different from conventional metal band-and-loop space maintainers?
It is fully customized in terms of design ad fit. It is easily adjustable inside of the mouth and is esthetically pleasing because it is tooth colored. It can also be updated as needed by adding composite resin while in place.
- How do digital oral scans for children make the process easier?
A digital oral scan is so much easier for kids of all ages than a traditional impression. The comparison of the two is like night and day.
- Is a 3D printed space maintainer comfortable for my child?
Yes! It should blend seamlessly in the mouth because it is custom made and fit to perfection with digital percision.
- Q: How can families reach your pediatric dentist office in West Los Angeles to schedule a consultation for SmileKeeper™?
Families can reach our dental team at Smiles Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics in West Los Angeles by calling our office, sending us a message, or requesting an appointment through our website. During a consultation for SmileKeeper™, we gently evaluate your child’s early tooth loss, take comfortable digital scans, and determine whether SmileKeeper™, our 3D-printed space maintainer, is the right option for protecting the space for the developing permanent teeth. Our goal is to make the process easy, gentle, and reassuring for both children and parents.
