In the treatment of dental and jaw anomalies, temporary titanium mini implants are used as additional anchorage. During orthodontic treatment, a temporary implant acts as a strong anchor for moving teeth and, unlike anchor teeth, does not shift.
Using orthodontic implants eliminates the need for removable retaining appliances. It shortens treatment time, because it becomes possible to move large groups of teeth.
With micro implants, we can overcome difficult problems such as severe crowding, over-eruption of a tooth when there is no opposing tooth, fan-shaped spreading of the upper or lower teeth, deep or open bite (deep incisor overbite and vertical incisor open bite), etc. In some cases, using a micro implant allows us to avoid braces or reduce their number to a minimum.
If a patient refuses implants when they are needed for the best result, we may offer alternative anchorage options, for example a face mask held in place by a neck strap or headgear.
In this case, the result of treatment depends entirely on the patient’s discipline. Without micro implants, tooth extraction may even become the only alternative for complete treatment.
The surface of the oral mucosa is treated with a special anesthetic gel or spray. Then, under infiltration anesthesia, the micro implant is screwed in with a special screwdriver. The whole procedure for placing a micro implant takes 5-10 minutes.
How is a micro implant placed?
The micro implant is placed in the bone, between the roots of neighboring teeth. The head of the implant sits outside the gum. Special devices (elastic thread, spring, chain) attached to it direct the orthodontic force that moves the tooth.
If the patient’s general condition is complicated by somatic issues (chronic diseases, endocrine and immune system disorders, etc.) that may affect healing (e.g. diabetes), or if the patient smokes heavily, the likelihood of mucosal inflammation and poor bone healing increases.
How long will the micro implant stay in the mouth, and does it pose any risk to health?
Micro implants are removed from the mouth as soon as orthodontic treatment is finished. Even if they remain, they have no negative effect on the body, because they are biologically inert and fully compatible with human tissues. The material micro implants are made of is identical to that of the familiar dental implants widely used in prosthetics.
