Premature loss of primary teeth: part I, its overall effect on occlusion and space in the permanent dentition.

Premature loss of primary molars causes, without doubt, permanent changes in regard to space and sagittal molar relations, in the permanent dentition. The changes are due to drifting of teeth and lack of growth, and such changes should, whenever possible, be prevented. In part two of this series of papers, a further analysis of the data will be presented.