Journal and Conferences of Dentistry

Introduction In most orthodontic treatments anchorage is necessary to control the reciprocal forces of tooth movement. Usually this control is realized applying a force to a group of teeth or through extra-oral structures, e.g. neck or cranium. However, these techniques have important restrictions, often related to the patient’s cooperation. Orthodontic mini implants represent indeed a great resolution to these limitations. Their clinical advantages consist in versatility of placement site, easy insertion and removal, minimal anatomic limitations, minor surgery, increased patient comfort, immediate loading, possible use in young patients, and low costs. Unlike osseointegrated implants, these devices are smaller in diameter, have a smooth surface, and are designed to be loaded shortly after insertion. The stability of miniscrews has become an issue because it does not depend on osseointegration but mechanical locking of the threads into bony tissues, and consequently they can ho...