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Published September 2026

1 of 5A baby molar was lost early. The adult tooth is still deep in the bone
  1. A baby molar was lost early. The adult tooth is still deep in the bone
  2. Without a holder, the neighbor tips into the gap and the adult tooth runs out of room
  3. A band is cemented on the back tooth with a loop across the gap
  4. The gap stays open, sometimes for years
  5. When the adult tooth comes in, the spacer comes off

Who usually does it

pediatric. Done in pediatric and general offices.

One question worth asking

When is the adult tooth expected, and when does this come out?

Removing a one-sided spacer

Braces and alignersPreventiveFor childrenD1556

D1556. Takes the spacer out once the adult tooth is coming in.

When a child loses a baby tooth early, a small metal spacer holds the gap open so the adult tooth has room to come in. Codes differ by fixed or removable, one side or both sides, and cover re-cementing or removing it later.

A band is cemented to the tooth next to the gap and a small loop or bar holds the space open until the adult tooth arrives. It does not move teeth; it only stops the neighbors drifting into a space that is spoken for. Codes cover fixed and removable versions, one side or both, plus re-cementing it and taking it out later. Most plans file this as Preventive. What they actually pay varies by plan.

Codes for this

D1510PreventiveFixed space maintainer, one sideA cemented spacer on one side of the mouth; the most common type.per quadrant · Done oftenD1516PreventiveFixed space maintainer, both sides, upperA cemented spacer spanning both sides of the upper jaw.per arch · Done sometimesD1517PreventiveFixed space maintainer, both sides, lowerA cemented spacer spanning both sides of the lower jaw.per arch · Done sometimesD1520PreventiveRemovable space maintainer, one sideA spacer the child can take out, one side.per quadrant · Rarely doneD1526PreventiveRemovable space maintainer, both sides, upperA removable spacer spanning the upper jaw.per arch · Rarely doneD1527PreventiveRemovable space maintainer, both sides, lowerA removable spacer spanning the lower jaw.per arch · Rarely doneD1551PreventiveRe-cementing a two-sided spacer, upperGlues a loose upper spacer back on.per arch · Done sometimesD1552PreventiveRe-cementing a two-sided spacer, lowerGlues a loose lower spacer back on.per arch · Done sometimesD1553PreventiveRe-cementing a one-sided spacerGlues a loose one-sided spacer back on.per quadrant · Done sometimesD1556PreventiveRemoving a one-sided spacerTakes the spacer out once the adult tooth is coming in.per quadrant · Done sometimesD1557PreventiveRemoving a two-sided spacer, upperTakes out an upper two-sided spacer.per arch · Done sometimesD1558PreventiveRemoving a two-sided spacer, lowerTakes out a lower two-sided spacer.per arch · Done sometimesD1575PreventiveDistal shoe space maintainerA special spacer that guides in a molar that has not yet erupted.per quadrant · Rarely done

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Removing a one-sided spacer (D1556): what happens, step by step | TruthMolar