Abstract: During the period of primary and mixed dentition，the loss of tooth space caused by premature loss of deciduous teeth will affect the eruption of permanent successors and the development of dental arch length，increasing the probability and severity of malocclusion，and affecting children′s masticatory function of posterior teeth and aesthetic needs of anterior teeth. Therefore，timely and effective space maintenance is critical for occlusal development of children. With the development of stomatology-related disciplines and the advance in interdisciplinary research，innovations in technology，materials and methods have gradually been applied in the design and production of space maintainers. In this paper，the advantages and disadvantages of traditional space maintainers and the new progress in the technology，materials and design of space maintenance are reviewed.

Key words: premature loss of primary tooth, malocclusion, space management, space maintenance, space maintainers

摘要： 在乳牙列期及混合牙列期，乳牙早失引起的间隙丧失可能影响继承恒牙萌出和牙弓长度发育，增加错牙合畸形发生的可能性及其严重程度，同时影响患儿的咀嚼功能和美学需求。因此，及时有效的间隙保持对于儿童的口腔咬合发育十分重要。随着口腔相关学科的发展和学科交叉发展的深入，口腔医学领域出现的技术、材料和设计上的创新逐步应用于间隙保持器的设计与制作。文章将从临床传统间隙保持的方法及其优缺点和间隙保持器技术、材料、设计的新进展等方面做一综述。

关键词: 乳牙早失, 错牙合畸形, 间隙管理, 间隙保持, 间隙保持器