Innovative Clinical Technique of Space Maintenance using Customised Functional Space Maintainer: A Case Series

Abstract

Space maintenance is of principal importance following the premature loss of deciduous molars to prevent development of malocclusion. The usage of fixed space maintainers is more common in clinical practice. Traditionally fixed unilateral space maintainers were advocated following the premature loss of primary molars but they have certain clinical disadvantages such as loss of arch length, improper eruption of permanent successors and primarily the loss of function of mastication which cannot be achieved with the available fixed unilateral space maintainers. The paper is about an interesting design of fixed functional space maintainers which might overcome the disadvantages in the existing strategies in space maintainers and space maintenance and restore the primary function of mastication. To incorporate functionality into the conventional space maintainers a stainless-steel crown or an acrylic tooth of customised adequate dimension is incorporated into the traditional design.

Keywords

• space loss
• interceptive orthodontics
• preventive orthodontics
• unilateral space maintainer