Assessment of Parents’ Awareness Towards Space Maintainers: A Cross‑Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose: Premature primary tooth loss in the primary and mixed dentition can cause malocclusion in the permanent dentition. Children with primary and mixed dentitions require space maintainers to avoid malocclusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of parental awareness regarding the use of space maintainers, oral hygiene practices, and the significance of primary teeth. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a questionnaire comprising 20 questions was utilized, encompassing four primary categories: 1) sociodemographic data, 2) parental awareness regarding oral hygiene habits, 3) recognition of the significance of primary teeth and the children's previous tooth extraction experience, and 4) parents’ knowledge level about the use of space maintainers. The survey was administered to 240 parents who have children aged between 2-15 years and who were both physically and psychologically healthy, literate in Turkish, and capable of completing a survey. Descriptive statistical analysis was employed to interpret the findings. Results: Despite the fact that 45% children lost primary teeth due to decay, trauma or other reasons, 40.9% of parents declared that they had no idea that early loss of primary teeth could damage permanent teeth. Additionally, only 35.8% of parents stated that they had knowledge of what a space maintainer is; it was found that those parents who were familiar with space maintainers also had a high level of knowledge about its use. Conclusions: It is concluded that there is a need to enhance parental awareness concerning the utilization of space maintainers as a preventive measure following the premature loss of primary teeth.

Keywords

• awareness
• interceptive orthodontics
• malocclusion
• parents
• space maintenance

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