It can be fixed or removable. When a primary tooth is lost prematurely, be it from trauma or decay, space maintenance is very important to avoid detrimental effects in the mixed dentition. There are different forms of space maintainers- depending on the circumstance:
A) Space maintainer-
-Unilateral – space loss is limited to one side
-Bilateral- space loss is on both sides
-Pressure appliance -intermediate appliance used instead of a distal shoe appliance
B) Habit corrector- It can be fixed or removable and its used to stop:
-Teeth grinding
-Thumb sucking – causes open bite, crossbite, tongue thrust
-Tongue thrust is a swallowing pattern in which the tongue thrusts out during swallowing. This constant motion causes an anterior open bite, speech impediment
C) Pedipartial – Esthetic replacement of prematurely lost anterior teeth in the primary dentition. It helps to:
-maintain function
-prevent space loss
-maintain the vertical dimension,
-maintains speech
-Increases self-esteem
D)Nightguard- The customized guard is used to prevent grinding at night