ROYAL BAHRAIN HOSPITAL

ROYAL BAHRAIN HOSPITAL

Sunday, June 10, 2012

MINI-IMPLANTS IN ORTHODONTICS (Mini implants or TADs, temporary anchorage device). Malocclusion is when the teeth aren’t aligned properly. A Skeletal Class III malocclusion is one of the most difficult things to correct. Skeletal Class III anomalies are associated with maxillary retrusion (the upper jaw is placed behind the lower jaw) or mandibular protrusion (the lower jaw is placed a little ahead of the upper jaw) or both. When there is a maxillary deficiency where the lower jaw is not markedly affected, treatment may involve stimulation and guidance of upper jaw growth by orthopedic forces. “There are treatments involving various types of extraoral appliances, such as facemasks and reverse pull headgears have been used to this. However, many patients fail to comply with this because of the appearance of the headgears and facemasks are not appealing. Implants as a useful tool in orthodontic therapy are quickly gaining acceptance. They provide the qualities of an ideal orthodontic anchor. Meaning, they help to guide the bones back into their correct place. In fact, recently mini-screws (mini-implants) have become popular because they are easier to both insert and remove. These implants make patient compliance unnecessary, provide absolute anchorage as there is no periodontal ligament, are easily used under a variety of treatment modalities, and are easily placed and removable, if necessary.Once the Implant is gently positioned into place, it can be loaded immediately; there is no reason to wait for the soft tissues or bone to heal. Neither is traumatized by this non-surgical procedure, which rarely even requires ibuprofen administration. Mini-implants can be safely used on adults as well as on children after the age of 13 years.