Bulletin of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery
ISSN 1829-006X
2025; 141–152
Shared with The Gufo

3D SPACE MAINTAINERS IN PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY: SCOPING REVIEW

Received: 2026-04-08 · Published: 2025-03-20

Shared article.
Original title
3D SPACE MAINTAINERS IN PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY: SCOPING REVIEW
Author
Sunnypriyatham Tirupathi
Source journal
Bulletin of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery
Published
2025-03-20
Licence
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Original
https://doi.org/10.58240/1829006X-2025.3-141

Abstract

Background: Conventional space maintainers in pediatric dentistry is a multistep, multi-visit process that involves paramount of patient co-operation and is a difficult especially in young un-cooperative children, and children with gag-reflex and children with special health care needs. Recent multiple case reports successfully describe 3D space maintainers and its effective use in multiple clinical scenarios. The aim of this current scoping review is to discuss the advances in terms of Computer aided design (CAD) and extent of use of 3D space maintainers and its use in pediatric dentistry. Methodolody: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science databases were evaluated with pre-defined search strategy ((((CAD) OR (CAM)) OR (3d printing))) AND (Space maintainer). Google Scholar and Research Gate were also consulted with the search terms to include all the articles for this current scoping review. Results: A total of 349 titles were screened rigorously by three independent evaluators and after duplicate exclusion, removal of irrelevant titles, finally led to inclusion of 18 articles for the qualitative synthesis of data. Conclusion: 3D space maintainers seem to be an effective option for pediatric patients with gag reflex and single visit pediatric dentistry, however the amount of available literature is too sparse, well planned randomized control studies need to be planned to evaluate various parameters such as comfort, longevity and failures etc. 3D Space maintainers can be a game changer in single visit pediatric dentistry practice.
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