Assessment of Parental Awareness of Space Maintainers in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia

To evaluate parental awareness regarding space maintainers in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and examine variations in awareness based on parental sex and educational level.

It is a descriptive cross-sectional study.

A self-administered questionnaire in Arabic was distributed to 630 parents from November 2021 to August 2022. The questionnaire assessed knowledge about the significance of primary and permanent teeth and the use of space maintainers in children.

Out of the 630 distributed questionnaires,397 were completed, yielding a response rate of 63%. The study found that 242 (60.96%) of parents demonstrated a good understanding of the importance of primary teeth. However, only 78 (19.65%) respondents had satisfactory knowledge regarding the timing of primary teeth replacement. Awareness about space maintainers was notably low, with only 131 (33%) of parents having basic knowledge about them, 75 (18.89%) understanding the different types, and 101 (25.44%) and 135 (34.01%) knowing about the difficulties in consuming hard and sticky foods, respectively, while using space maintainers. Furthermore, only 69 (17.38%) of parents had personal experience with space maintainers for their children. Analysis showed that mothers were significantly more informed about oral health and space maintainers compared to fathers, but the level of education did not significantly influence awareness levels.

Parental knowledge and awareness about space maintainers among families in Al-Madinah are insufficient. Educational interventions may be necessary to improve understanding of space maintainers and their role in dental health for children.