What is a Temporary Anchorage Device in Orthodontics?

You may be wondering how you can benefit from the temporary anchorage device and how it helps us treat you. In this educational video, experienced Buffalo orthodontist Dr. Steven J. Hietanen explains the benefits of a temporary anchorage device, also known as a TAD.

If you are considering orthodontic treatment for you or a loved one and have questions about TAD’s, contact our office to arrange a free consultation.

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We often require extra tools to exert the leverage that enables us to move teeth efficiently. This including temporary anchorage devices, or TAD.

A TAD is a small implant placed temporarily into the bone between the roots of the teeth. It may also be placed where no teeth are present. As a device to pull against, TADs facilitate movement in directions that are difficult to achieve via conventional methods.

In the past, treating a patient who was missing a lower second bicuspid would have been difficult because of the coordination between the fit of the upper and the lower teeth.

Negative side effects can occur when trying to pull a lower molar forward. A TAD enables us to accomplish the desired result without taxing or pulling against the other teeth.

The temporary anchorage device is easy to remove at the end of treatment. This is because it does not osseointegrate in the manner that traditional dental implants do. Osseointegration is the process through which the implant becomes fused to the bone. However, a TAD is not an implant that osseointegrates.

Orthodontists Associates of Western New York is proud to offer braces for all ages throughout Buffalo, Lancaster, Olean, Hamburg, Orchard Park, and Dunkirk, East Aurora, and Niagara Falls New York. If you are considering orthodontic treatment for yourself or a loved one, please contact one of our 7 convenient orthodontic offices to arrange a free consultation.

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