Totally get where you’re coming from. My kid had a similar situation—early extraction, and the dentist recommended a spacer right away because there was already some crowding going on. It felt like a lot to decide, but honestly, I was glad we did it. The idea of teeth drifting around just stressed me out.
I’ve heard from other parents that sometimes dentists just want to “wait and see,” especially if there’s enough space or the permanent tooth isn’t far behind. But in our case, waiting didn’t seem worth the risk. It’s wild how much it depends on each individual mouth... even siblings can have totally different needs.
I do wish there was a simple formula for these things, but I guess it’s one of those parenting calls you make with the info you’ve got. At least spacers aren’t a big deal for most kids—mine barely noticed after a day or two.