Temporary Anchorage Devices-TAD’s
What are TAD’s?
TAD’s are mini dental implants strategically placed into the jaw bone to provide absolute anchorage to facilitate orthodontic treatment. Orthodontics as with any element of nature must comply with Newton’s Laws of Physics; for every force there exists an equal and opposite force. Prior to the advent of TAD’s, to move teeth orthodontically, other teeth were required to supply anchorage. The larger the tooth and/or the greater the movement, the greater the anchorage requirements and the increased potential for the anchor teeth to move as well. TAD’s have revolutionized orthodontics by reducing anchorage demands while providing orthodontists with absolute precision and control. In the past, many cases required head gear and patient compliance to achieve orthodontic treatment success. Today, in most instances TAD’s have eliminated the requirement for head gear thereby improving patient comfort and orthodontic case acceptance. In addition, the use of TAD’s has often proven effective at reducing orthodontic treatments times. All these benefits translate into unmatched orthodontic case control, efficiency, comfort and most importantly, an improved final treatment result.
TAD Placement Procedure
The placement of Temporary Anchorage Devices (TAD’s) is a virtually pain free, highly predictable and well tolerated procedure. No incision (cutting) is required when TAD’s are inserted. As such, there are little if any post operative concerns. Dr. Novack will take into consideration your comfort and insure that the TAD’s are positioned not merely to facilitate your orthodontic treatment, but are placed in locations that are easiest for you to tolerate. Once inserted, orthodontic forces can be applied immediately thus expediting completion of your case. In most instances, after the insertion of TAD’s, you should be able to resume your daily activities be it returning back to work or school. Dr. Novack will consult with your orthodontist to define the optimal locations for TAD placement. The goal is to insure that idealized vectors of force are applied to the TAD’s to achieve the desired orthodontic movement with the greatest degree of control. Through these collaborative efforts, your teeth will be orthodontically moved into locations that provide you with the smile and improved function you so desire. Once orthodontic treatment has been completed, Dr. Novack will remove the TAD’s, once again in an absolutely pain free manner.
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