Fiber-reinforced Composite Space Maintainers: A Literature Review of their Survival Rate

Premature loss of posterior primary teeth necessitates space maintaining to prevent space loss and compromising the dentition. Conventional stainless steel band-and-loop space maintainer (BL-SM) is a non-invasive device commonly used to maintain space after the early loss of a single deciduous tooth until the permanent tooth erupts. However, these devices require laboratory work, consume time, and are relatively expensive. Clinically, they tend to fracture, bend or debond under occlusal forces, and they are not considered esthetic. Thus, alternatives to the BL-SM have been investigated. The fiber-reinforced composite space maintainer (FRC-SM) has various advantages and has been suggested as an alternative to the BL-SM. The aim of this review is to explore the survival rate of FRC-SM reported in the literature. We have found a wide variation in the reported results, with promising results shown for FRC-SM, especially over short periods. Therefore, longer follow-up periods, placement techniques and clinical effectiveness with respect to this type of space maintainer need to be further evaluated.