A recent retrospective study, published in the Journal of Dental Sciences, sought to evaluate the factors affecting the clinical success of orthodontic anchorage by using temporary anchorage devices (TADs). The findings showed that to improve success rates, local inflammation should be monitored and controlled and force application should be 4 weeks after insertion. In addition, the location for placement of TADs should be good quality bone with keratinized mucosa.
The study looked at 129 consecutive patients—54 males, 75 females; mean age 20.2 years old—with a total of 266 TADs of three different types. The study’s authors evaluated five variables related to TAD success: implant-related (type 1, type 2, and type 3 with different diameters and lengths), patient-related (sex, age, and type of malocclusion), location-related (jaw, site, side, bone quality, and the type of soft tissue), orthodontic-related (the timing of force application), and implant-maintenance factors (local inflammation around a TAD: mild, moderate, and severe).
The authors reported overall success rates of 97%. In addition, the clinical variable of all implant-related factors, all patient-related factors, and one of the location-related factors (side) did not show any statistically significant difference in success rates. The clinical variables of most location-related factors—jaw (mandible), site (lingual), bone quality (Q4), and the type of soft tissue around TADs (mucosa); orthodontic-related factors—timing of force application equal to 2 weeks; and implant-maintenance factors—local inflammation (mild-moderate and moderate-severe)—showed less success with statistically significant differences.
