The role of parents’ space maintainer awareness on their children’s untreated dental caries: Testing a conceptual model

Objectives: Space maintainers are frequently used to prevent malocclusion problems in early primary tooth loss. Parents’ oral health literacy and awareness of space maintainers may influence children’s oral health outcomes. This study aimed to examine the direct and indirect roles of parents’ space maintainer awareness on their children’s untreated dental caries with a conceptual model. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 600 children and their parents. Sociodemographic data and space maintainer awareness survey was administered to parents face to face. Parents’ oral health literacy levels were measured with TREALD-30 and TREALD-30A scales. Children’s oral health status was evaluated using DMFT and PUFA indexes. Path analysis was performed to test the conceptual model (p < 0.05). Results: The conceptual model revealed significant effects of TREALD-30A scores on space maintainer awareness (ß = 0.384, p < 0.001), DMFT scores on space maintainer awareness (ß = 0.081, p = 0.023) and space maintainer awareness on PUFA scores (ß = 0.106, p = 0.017). Additionally, TREALD-30A (ß = −0.032, p = 0.002) and DMFT (ß = −0.008, p = 0.014) scores had significant indirect effects on PUFA through space maintainer awareness. The space maintainer awareness score has a mediating role. Conclusions: The path analysis has shown that the parents’ space maintainer awareness has a direct and indirect effect on the clinical outcomes of untreated dental caries in their children. Although oral health literacy alone was not effective, it reduced clinical consequences of untreated dental caries in children through space maintainer awareness. The model suggests that interventions to increase parents’ oral health literacy and space maintainers awareness will help parents pay more attention to their children’s oral health.