Orthodontics: band and loop space maintainer: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Dentistry · Orthodontics: band and loop space maintainer

Sample item

A 5-year-old loses a primary first molar prematurely to caries, with the permanent premolar far from eruption. What is the appropriate appliance?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Band and loop space maintainer

A band and loop space maintainer preserves the gap for the unerupted successor after unilateral loss of a primary molar. Without it, adjacent teeth drift and the space is lost.

Option by option

  • A. Hawley retainer

    A Hawley retainer is used to hold teeth after active treatment.

  • B. Fixed headgear

    Headgear is an extraoral orthodontic appliance for skeletal correction.

  • C. No treatment

    Doing nothing risks space loss and crowding.

  • D. Band and loop space maintainer (correct)

    Correct. This keeps the space for the premolar.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is D, Band and loop space maintainer. A band and loop space maintainer preserves the gap for the unerupted successor after unilateral loss of a primary molar.

Why is "Hawley retainer" not the answer?

A Hawley retainer is used to hold teeth after active treatment.

Why is "Fixed headgear" not the answer?

Headgear is an extraoral orthodontic appliance for skeletal correction.

Why is "No treatment" not the answer?

Doing nothing risks space loss and crowding.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Orthodontics: band and loop space maintainer in Dentistry. Without it, adjacent teeth drift and the space is lost.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Orthodontics: band and loop space maintainer?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.