COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF TWO STAINLESS STEEL PRE-FORMED SPACE MAINTAINERS- AN IN VITRO STUDY

Background: Premature loss of primary teeth often results in space discrepancies and malocclusion, making space maintainers an essential component of pediatric dentistry. Preformed stainless steel space maintainers have gained popularity due to their ease of use, durability, and reproducibility. However, the clinical performance of these appliances is highly dependent on their flexural strength, which determines their resistance to deformation under masticatory forces. Aim: The present study aimed to compare the flexural strength of two commercially available preformed stainless steel space maintainers—Kedo-S Fit and Kids E Dental—using an Instron universal testing machine. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 preformed stainless steel space maintainers were tested, with 10 samples allocated to each group: Group 1 – Kedo-S Fit and Group 2 – Kids E Dental. The samples were subjected to a cantilever flexural bending test on the Instron machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min, with the point of load application set at 10 mm. The maximum force required to cause failure was recorded. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test, with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean flexural strength of Kedo-S Fit was 48.6 ± 3.2 N, while Kids E Dental demonstrated a mean of 46.9 ± 3.5 N. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between the groups (t = 0.92, p = 0.37). However, Kedo-S Fit exhibited marginally higher values. Conclusion: Both systems showed adequate flexural strength, confirming their clinical reliability. Kedo-S Fit demonstrated slightly superior mechanical resistance, which may provide an additional margin of durability in functional conditions.