Just A TAD Different: What You Need To Know About Temporary Anchorage Devices

Posted on: 20 May 2016

You may know all about classic dental implants – those fake teeth with a screw on the bottom that people have installed by their dentist when they're missing a tooth or two in an effort to keep their smile both even and complete. But there's a more temporary form of dental implant that you might find interesting and pertinent if you or a loved one has orthodontic work currently being done: temporary anchorage devices, or TADs, for short. If you're wondering about this much smaller and much less permanent version of a dental implant, then here's what you need to know.

What are TADs?

TADs are small (and easily removed by your orthodontist) dental implants that are placed on your teeth during orthodontic treatment. They generally look like little prongs of metal, but are bent in slightly so that they don't catch and cut your cheek or the insides of your lips. They can be placed anywhere, but the most common areas are on the back molars and the canines. Each TAD needs a partner, so that the bands (more on that below) have something to attach to on both sides.

Why and how are they used?

TADs are some of the more common orthodontic tools, and they are generally used when your teeth need a little bit more powerful help in moving to their proper place. Small elastic bands are hooked onto the top and to the bottom TAD in each TAD pair, acting as anchor points as the elastic pull of the bands moves the teeth to where they need to go. There's no real recovery time after your orthodontist fixes the TADs to your teeth, but you'll notice tenderness in your mouth for the first week or so of wearing bands.

Do they require special treatment?

Like any piece of orthodontic technology, TADs need a little bit of special care in order to make sure that they stay in tip-top shape to help give you the smile you've been working towards. When brushing during the morning and night, ensure that you take special care that you brush the TADs thoroughly but carefully, so that they get clean without being bent by a rigorous or hard-bristled brush. This is especially important when your TADs are placed (as they often are) on the back molars, since this area of the mouth isn't cleaned as well due to its location and closeness to the gag reflex.

For more information, contact a local professional like Silverstone  Family Dental.

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Providing Children With Dental Knowledge

When my three children were young, they were all excited to go to the dentist. The dentist's office was great fun with a large fish tank and a variety of puzzle toys in the waiting room. I liked the pediatric dental office so much that I jumped at the chance when I was offered a receptionist job. Many of the children who came to see the dentist were not nearly as happy as my children. Most kids were scared and anxious, and I learned fairly quickly that the children were worried because they had no idea what to expect. The dentist at the office provided me with a set of dental tools that I could show to the children. I explained how each of the devices worked. This eased the fears, and I started this blog so parents could share dental information with their children before dental visits.

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