Space Maintainer Guide
Devices used to preserve space for permanent teeth after premature loss of primary teeth.
Space maintainers are orthodontic appliances used when a primary tooth is lost prematurely (before the permanent tooth is ready to erupt). Without a space maintainer, adjacent teeth can drift into the gap, causing crowding, impaction of the permanent tooth, and future orthodontic problems. Types include: band and loop (most common, for single tooth loss), distal shoe (guides unerupted first permanent molar), lingual arch (bilateral lower arch), Nance appliance (bilateral upper arch), and transpalatal arch. Fixed maintainers are preferred in younger children as they can't be lost or forgotten. The appliance is removed once the permanent tooth begins erupting. Regular monitoring ensures proper function.