Lower Holding Arch (LHA)

An appliance, that is glued into place by using bands on the lower molars, which is used to hold space for the eruption of the permanent teeth.  The lower primary molars are often larger in width than the permanent premolars that replace them. If a space maintainer is placed before the primary molar teeth fall out, that extra space can be preserved to alleviate a mild to moderate amount of crowding. A space maintainer is used to keep the permanent molars from drifting forward and provide extra space for the permanent teeth in the presence of crowding. This appliance is commonly used in cases of premature loss of baby teeth or when the lower teeth of a growing child are slightly crowded, and no permanent teeth are extracted to correct the problem. The duration of wear varies. Dr. Cheng Lun Wang, Dr. Kevin Lee or Dr. Yan Liu will monitor the eruption of new teeth and make adjustments as needed. Generally, a holding arch is removed following the eruption of all the permanent teeth.