HOSA Dental Terminology Practice

Which option is a passive appliance that retains teeth in place?

1. Orthodontic retainer

2. Space maintainer

3. Sedative filling

4. Splint

The correct answer is: Space maintainer

The correct answer is a space maintainer. A space maintainer is a passive appliance that is used to hold the space created by a lost primary tooth until the permanent tooth erupts. Its primary function is to prevent adjacent teeth from shifting into the empty space, which can lead to alignment issues and complications with future dental procedures. While orthodontic retainers also serve to keep teeth in their new positions after treatment, they are actively involved in the retention process and may include components that exert pressure on the teeth to maintain their alignment. Sedative fillings are designed to alleviate pain and discomfort in a tooth rather than maintain space, and splints are used primarily for stabilization in cases of trauma or issues related to temporomandibular joint disorders, and not specifically for retaining teeth in place.