Contemporary approach for space maintainers- A case report

Mini implants have seen an evolutionary change in the phase of implant placement. The most common use for mini implant is the stabilization of over denture and orthodontic treatments, now they are used in pediatric dentistry for congenitally missing teeth and tooth loss due to trauma. Mini implants as a prosthetic replacement gives a psychological advantage to the child as it provides a feeling of his own teeth. A thirteen year old boy came to the department of pedodontics, KVG dental college, Sullia, with a chief complaint of spacing in the lower front tooth region since 4 years. On radiographic examination absence of 41, 31 were found. On model analysis, space deficiency was found in relation to the lower anterior and he was diagnosed with angle’s class I malocclusion with proclined maxxilary anterior teeth and congenitally missing lower central incisors. The patient’s main concern was on esthetics. Hence the patient was planned for a fixed provisional functional space maintainer using mini implant followed by crown prosthesis. The approach comes up with positive aesthetic and functional results that may reflect on self-esteem and social well-being of children and adolescents.