TYPES OF SPACE MAINTAINERS
Dental space maintainers can be:
- Fixed (unilateral, crown and loop, distal shoe, lingual)
- Removable, which are similar to other acrylic-made orthodontic appliances.
UNILATERAL AND CROWN AND LOOP SPACE MAINTAINERS
Unilateral and crown and loop devices are fixed space maintainers designed only for one side of the mouth. Unilateral is created to be wrapped around the outside of the tooth and connected to a metal loop. The crown and loop space maintainer represents a crown that is created to cover the tooth and attach to the loop which maintains the space for the permanent tooth to erupt.
DISTAL SHOE SPACE MAINTAINER
This particular device is slightly more complicated since its metal end is designed to be placed into the gum line. In the majority of cases, the distal shoe is recommended for children who want to ensure the uninterrupted growth of their molar teeth.