As soon as the procedure is over, you can go about the rest of your day and there is no downtime. While your gums can be a little sensitive for the first 24 hours after your temporary anchorage device is placed, the discomfort is minor and can be managed with an over-the-counter pain reliever. You should never feel serious orthodontic TAD pain. The first thing patients usually ask is, “Do orthodontic TADs hurt?” and the answer is, no. Once it’s in place, it almost always stays there until it’s removed. I then place the TAD through the gum tissue and into your jawbone. This way, you won’t feel a thing during the procedure. When the ideal positioning is determined, I inject a local anesthetic into your gums to numb the area (the same shot you get when you have a cavity filled). What is the Procedure for Getting Temporary Anchorage Devices?įirst, I use x-rays of your mouth to make sure there is enough space and bone density in the area I want to insert the TAD. They can also reduce treatment time by moving the teeth more efficiently. Because TADs give orthodontists the ability to achieve more complicated tooth movements than ever before, they can help patients avoid orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery), in some cases, and get dramatic, lasting results with just braces. With an orthodontic TAD, I’m able to accomplish asymmetrical tooth movements too, meaning I can move teeth in the same arch in different directions. I can also use it to anchor a tooth in place so that it doesn’t move while your braces wire shifts its neighbors into place. Depending on your needs, I may push or pull a tooth (or teeth) in a certain direction directly from the TAD. But, if we need the anchor to be somewhere where there isn’t a tooth that can do the job or the force is strong enough that it will shift the anchor teeth in a way that’s undesirable, then, it’s not an option.Īs I noted, a temporary anchorage device serves as this fixed anchor point instead. Often, the back teeth can serve this purpose. To be able to get the necessary force to do this, there has to be something fixed to push or pull against. Then, the bone and tissue reform and hold your teeth in position. When we straighten the teeth with braces or Invisalign, the continuous force that’s exerted from the appliance causes the cells in the bone and periodontal ligament to break down, allowing the teeth to move to their new places. Some patients will have their temporary anchorage devices for several months, while others will have TADs for the duration of their orthodontic treatment. When I achieve the movements I want, I remove the orthodontic TADs. Essentially, it lets me create a customized system for exerting pressure that’s tailored to your smile needs. With breakthroughs like TADs, orthodontists can move teeth in ways that weren’t possible in the past, allowing us to treat some seriously complex cases. Once the TADs are in place, they serve as an anchorage, which means they are a fixed point that can be used to provide force to shift the teeth in the desired direction. TADs are usually made of titanium alloy, which is a durable, safe, biocompatible material. I know, that sounds a little scary but, as I’ll get to shortly, the process is actually painless. What is a TAD in Orthodontics?Īn orthodontic TAD is a tiny dental implant that looks like a mini screw that’s temporarily placed through the gum tissue and into the jawbone. Though TADs are an amazing tool, not a lot of patients are all that familiar with them, so I’m covering the basics. I believe in using modern techniques that can make treatment more effective and easier for my patients at Richard Chan Orthodontics, which is why I’m trained in the use of TADs. Thankfully, these days, there’s an alternative: a temporary anchorage device (TAD). As you can probably guess, not too many patients were thrilled with the prospect of having a large, bulky, highly visible appliance attached to their hardware. In the past, headgear was the go-to treatment in many of these instances. In other cases, however, we need an anchorage point for a pushing and pulling force to help facilitate movements that can’t be achieved with just brackets and wires. Sometimes, braces alone can bring about fantastic results.
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