Mini Implants - A new Era in Orthodontics

Anchorage in orthodontics has been defined as the nature and degree of resistance to displacement offered by an anatomic unit when used for the purpose of performing tooth movement. A temporary anchorage device (TAD) is a device that is temporarily fixed to bone for the purpose of enhancing orthodontic anchorage either by supporting the teeth of the reactive unit or by obviating the need for the reactive unit altogether, and which is subsequently removed after use. They can be located transosteally, subperiosteally, or endosteally; and they can be fixed to bone either mechanically (cortically stabilized) or biochemically (osseointegrated). It should also be pointed out that dental implants placed for the ultimate purpose of supporting prosthesis, regardless of the fact that they may be used for orthodontic anchorage, are not considered temporary anchorage devices since they are not removed and discarded after orthodontic treatment. Importantly, the incorporation of dental implants and TADs into orthodontic treatment made possible infinite anchorage or absolute anchorage