One of the recent, important advances in orthodontics has been the development of temporary anchorage devices, or TADs. Made of a biocompatible titanium alloy, TADs are mini-screw anchors, which are inserted, right at our office without needing injections, into specific areas of the jaws. They serve as small, discrete fixed points; and they allow certain teeth to be moved toward or away from them while keeping adjacent teeth stable.
In the past, only very extended wear of appliances like headgears or even orthognathic (jaw) surgery would allow orthodontists to achieve results that can now be had with just TADs, often with shorter treatment times and simpler treatment mechanics.
Temporary anchorage devices are not recommended for everyone. In fact they are not needed at all in many cases. If you would like to know more about TADs in general or to see if they could be used to address your specific orthodontic needs, please contact us.