Microimplants in orthodontics

How is the miniscrew installed?

The placement of a miniscrew – is a simple and quick procedure, the entire appointment lasts about 15 minutes. The dental surgeon uses a little local anesthesia to anesthetize the gum (similar to treating tooth decay) in the area where the screw is placed. Then the miniscrew is painlessly screwed into the gum and superficial layers of bone tissue using a hand-held instrument. The miniscrew does not implant into the bone tissue like a dental implant. When it has completed its tasks, it is unscrewed in 2 minutes without anesthesia.

Where is the miniscrew placed?

The area where the screw is placed depends on the orthodontic goals and the teeth to be moved. The exact position of the miniscrew is determined in conjunction with the orthodontist and dental surgeon based on CBCT data. The miniscrew can be placed in the gingival area between the teeth, behind the last teeth in the upper or lower jaw, or in the palatal area.

How long does a miniscrew take to heal?

When the anesthesia stops working, there may be a slight aching pain in the gum area. The mucosa heals quite quickly, so the discomfort goes away within 1-5 days depending on the area of insertion.

Since the miniscrew does not require long-term recovery, the orthodontist immediately after its placement or within the first 24 hours performs its «activation», i.e. installs elastic bands, springs or other elements.

How long to wear a miniscrew?

The extent and timing of miniscrew placement is determined by the orthodontist during the treatment planning process. In some cases, the miniscrew is placed for a few months, while in others it may be necessary during the entire orthodontic treatment process.

In what cases are micro-implants needed?

If it is necessary to move the teeth backwards

In orthodontic practice, moving teeth backwards is called distalization. Distalization can be either 1 tooth or the entire tooth row – depending on the clinical picture. This is one of the most common reasons for miniscrew placement, as it is almost impossible to perform this movement without additional support. In the case of distalization, the miniscrew is placed behind the last teeth in the tooth row (retromolar).

Pulling teeth up (embedding in bone tissue, intrusion)

• Tooth insertion when the tooth is pulled out of the bone tissue due to the absence of an antagonist on the opposite jaw

• Correction of gingival smile

• Correction of an open bite

Expansion of the upper dentition (MARPE - miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expantion)

In case of pronounced skeletal narrowing in adolescents and young adults, miniscrew-supported maxillary expansion can be used to avoid surgery. In this case, 2-4 miniscrews are placed in the palatal region and a special expander (distractor) is fixed.

Retention of retained teeth

Retention – is a disturbance in the eruption of permanent teeth. Large forces are required to help the tooth to erupt into the dentition, and the support of the dentition can cause deformation of the dentition and undesirable movement of the supporting teeth. To prevent this from happening, the traction rods need to be fixed to an absolute support – a miniscrew. A great advantage is that traction of the retained tooth can be started even before the bracket system is fitted, thus reducing the overall treatment time with braces.

Closing of cracks and gaps from extraction

Closing gaps in the usual way (with elastic bands fixed to the braces) is a counter movement – that is, the teeth will move towards each other. In some cases, to correct the bite, it is necessary to close the space at the expense of only one tooth, and the second tooth remains in place. For this purpose, it is necessary to install a miniscrew – it will counteract unwanted movements.