The Influence of Manufacturing and Material Quality on Space Maintainers Longevity

Abstract

Premature loss of temporary teeth, both the lateral and the frontal area can have unfavorable consequences on the development of permanent dentition, the support serving to maintain space for permanent teeth eruption in the dental arches. The aim of the study was assessment of different types of fixed and removable space maintainers in terms of their longevity in the dental arches that were applied as interceptive orthodontic treatment for edentulous space management transiently due to premature loss of deciduous teeth. The study followed the evolution of space maintainers properly applied to clinical cases that required these therapeutic options, and appreciated the success rate and the failure of these devices, important being the time at which the assessments were made. Findings failure rate of applied space maintainers was reported to the main causes that could lead to remove the devices: loss of space maintainers, especially those removable, fracturing both fixed and removable devices, loosening orthodontic rings and of course, taking into account the absence of some subjects at periodic reassessment meetings. The space maintainer was considered a success when it fulfill the main role for which it was applied - transitional management of edentulous space, and then being removed when the permanent succession tooth eruption occurred.