TADs are tiny titanium screws that give braces a fixed point to push or pull against. If your treatment plan includes temporary anchorage devices, our orthodontist in Grand Rapids, MI will walk you through why one can help.
Here's how these small anchors help your smile move the right way.
What Is a TAD?
TAD stands for temporary anchorage device. It is a small titanium screw placed through the gum and into the jawbone for part of your treatment.
A notes that most are about 1.5 to 2 millimeters wide. Unlike a dental implant, a TAD is held by a snug mechanical fit rather than fusing to the bone, so it comes out easily later.
Why Braces Need an Anchor
Every push in orthodontics has an equal pull in the other direction. When a wire pulls front teeth back, the back teeth feel that force too and can drift forward.
A TAD stays still while the teeth around it move. That lets your orthodontist move only the teeth that need to move, sometimes without relying on headgear.
What TADs Can Help Fix
According to , TADs are commonly used to correct overbites and underbites. They also help close gaps and handle tooth movements that are hard to manage with brackets alone.
TADs work alongside metal braces and other appliances.
Our guide to metal vs. ceramic braces covers which brackets might suit your smile.
What Placement Feels Like
First, a local anesthetic numbs the gum and bone where the TAD will go. The placement itself usually takes just a few minutes, and most patients feel only some pressure.
Any soreness afterward tends to be mild. An over-the-counter pain reliever usually helps, and most people stop noticing the TAD within a day.
How Stable Are TADs?
Most TADs stay put for as long as they are needed, but some loosen. A found the risk changed with the spot in the mouth and rose when a screw touched a tooth root.
That is why your orthodontist plans each spot with care. If a TAD does loosen, it can often be replaced or the plan adjusted.
Caring for Your TAD
Keeping the area clean helps your gum stay healthy around the screw. Brush at least three times a day, the same routine used with braces.
You will also get an antimicrobial mouthwash to use twice a day. Our tips on cleaning teeth with braces work well around a TAD, too.
Who Might Need One?
TADs are useful for kids, teens and adults alike. If you are wondering whether treatment still makes sense later in life, read about adult braces.
For the full list of treatments, browse our orthodontic services page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who places the TAD at Herremans Orthodontics?
Our orthodontist places TADs right in the office, so most patients do not need a separate visit to an oral surgeon. The gum and jaw are numbed with a local anesthetic first, and the device goes in through the gum and into the bone.
The whole step usually takes only a few minutes as part of your regular orthodontic care.
How do I keep my gums healthy around a TAD?
Brush at least three times a day and gently clean around the head of the screw, where food and plaque can collect. Herremans Orthodontics gives you an antimicrobial mouthwash to use twice a day.
Swollen, sore or bleeding gum tissue that lasts more than a few days is worth a call to our office.
What should I do if my TAD feels loose or sore?
Call our office and avoid wiggling it with your tongue or fingers. Ongoing discomfort beyond a few days is not typical, so we will want to take a look.
You can reach Herremans Orthodontics in Grand Rapids or Greenville Monday through Thursday. Thursday hours start earlier, at 7 a.m., at both offices.
Is a TAD the same as a dental implant?
No, a TAD is temporary and a dental implant is meant to stay for life. An implant fuses with the bone to hold a crown, while a TAD is held by a snug fit so it can come out once it has done its job.
A explains that TADs rely on mechanical retention rather than bonding with bone.
Does it hurt when a TAD is removed?
Removal is usually quick and comfortable, and many patients are surprised by how simple it is. The TAD is taken out once it is no longer needed to guide your teeth, often without any numbing.
Oral surgeons with as quick and mostly pain-free.