From Volume 41, Issue 3, April 2014 | Pages 242-249
This is a literature search about the clinical use of temporary anchorage devices (TADs) as a means of providing effective orthodontic anchorage. It takes the reader through a journey from the initial description of the technique to the enormous popularity TADs are currently experiencing in clinical practice. This paper aims to present good quality clinical information to allow the clinician and the patient to make an informed decision.
Anchorage in orthodontics can be defined as the resistance to unwanted tooth movement during treatment. This can be provided by intra-oral anchor sites like the teeth and palate or, alternatively, extra-oral devices such as headgear (Figure 1). Unfortunately, these conventional methods have a major drawback: they all rely on patient compliance in order to be successful.1 It has been every orthodontist's dream to have stationary anchorage. Recent literature has suggested that the introduction of miniscrews or temporary anchorage devices (TADs), a term of American origin,2 has created a whole new successful era in the world of orthodontics.
Successful skeletal anchorage is the main biological concept behind these devices and this offers two possibilities:
Osseo-integrated dental implants, including palatal implants and some retromolar implants, often fall into the category of indirect anchorage. One commonly used mid-palatal implant from Straumann has a diameter of 3.75 mm and length of 8 mm, whereas normal ‘dental’ implants, replacing individual teeth, can vary in length from 7–20 mm. These osseo-integrated implants have been used for direct anchorage in the past prior to them being used to replace the dentition.
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