Assessment of knowledge and attitude among parents of children in primary school on space maintainers in Kottayam district ndash; A descriptive cross-sectional study

Introduction: The primary dentition is crucial to a child's growth and development because it guides and promotes the emergence of permanent teeth in addition to helping with speaking, chewing, appearance, and the avoidance of negative habits. Placing a space maintainer is the greatest way to preserve the arch space when early primary tooth loss is inevitable. A device that may be fixed or removed to maintain the space left by the early loss of a primary tooth or set of teeth is called a space maintainer. Therefore, the implications of arch length loss and the subsequent need for complicated orthodontic treatment may be avoided with a space maintainer appliance or restoration of a carious primary tooth that can then function as a natural space maintainer. Aim: To evaluate the attitudes and knowledge of parents of elementary school-aged children in the Kottayam district on space maintainers. Materials and Methods: This study population consists of 112 parents of children aged between 4 to 10 years conducted among different schools in Kottayam district. A pre-validated, self-administered structured questionnaire in the regional language (Malayalam)as Google form was used for data collection. Results: The overall knowledge level of parents was found to be inadequate in analyzing each of the responses they marked. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of educational qualification, gender and age group, and the attitude of participants. The majority of parents showed a positive attitude. Conclusion: There is a lack of awareness among parents regarding the usage of space maintainers and educational initiatives are required to enhance the knowledge about space maintainers.