DIGITAINER - PRECISION IN PRACTICE

Background: Maintaining arch integrity following the premature loss of primary teeth is a cornerstone of pediatric dentistry.While traditional fixed space maintainers (e.g., band and loop, lingual arch) are clinically proven, they often present challenges regarding patient compliance, chairside time, periodontal health, and aesthetic acceptance. Case Description: This study reports on two pediatric cases-an 8-year-old male requiring a lingual arch and a 5-year-old male requiring a band and loop appliance. Transitioning from conventional metal-based fabrication, both appliances were produced using a CAD -CAM (Comp uter-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing) workflow. Following extraction and initial healing, digital data was acquired via scanning of dental casts. The appliances were virtually designed for optimal fit and thickness using CAD software and subsequently milled from Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) blocks. The final digitainers were luted using self-adhesive resin cement.