SC Orthodontics · Temporary anchorage devices
Some tooth movements need another point of support. Explore why a temporary anchor may be recommended, how it is placed and how to look after it.
A supporting role in your treatment
A temporary anchorage device, or TAD, is a small metal screw placed through the gum into bone. It gives an orthodontic appliance another point of support when relying on other teeth alone is not the best approach.
01Why anchorage matters
Orthodontic forces can affect more than the tooth you want to move. Extra anchorage may help manage those effects when planning space closure, tooth uprighting or selected bite corrections.
Not everyone needs a TAD. Dr. Haykani explains the movement it is intended to support and what the other options would involve.
A small screw provides support separate from the teeth being moved.
A prescribed elastic, spring or other attachment transfers force as part of the appliance plan.
The orthodontist directs and monitors the movement; the TAD is one part of that system.
No. A TAD can help control anchorage, but treatment still needs planning, monitoring and adjustments. The whole bite, the surrounding tissues and the response to force matter. It is not a guarantee that only one tooth will move.
02Plan before placement
The examination and appropriate imaging help assess where anchorage can be used. Your tooth roots, the proposed site and surrounding tissues matter to that decision. Review your medical history and medicines, and ask what each record adds. Our orthodontic X-ray guide explains why a surface scan and an X-ray answer different questions. You should understand the proposed position, benefit and risks before agreeing.
Dr. Haykani places TADs in the office with local anesthetic at the site. The appliance may be connected at placement or at a later stage, depending on the plan.
Ask why a TAD is recommended, how many are planned, which teeth it will help move and what the alternatives are. Review health history, medicines, site-specific risks, aftercare and what happens if a screw loosens or needs replacing.
03Look after the support point
Clean gently around the site with the brush and technique advised. Keep the rest of your teeth and braces clean, and use a rinse only as directed for your case.
At our Valencia office, we check stability, the surrounding gum and the appliance attachments. Report looseness, increasing soreness, swelling or a detached connection rather than waiting for the next routine visit.
The clinician removes the TAD and gives instructions for the small site while it heals. Removal does not necessarily mean all orthodontic treatment is finished. Continue your remaining appliance and retainer plan as directed.
For the rest of your appliance routine, read about brushing with braces. When active treatment is complete, a separate retainer plan helps maintain tooth alignment; the temporary anchor does not replace it.
Compare the support, not just the hardware
If a temporary anchorage device is recommended at our Valencia office, ask why it changes the plan. Patients across Santa Clarita should understand both the benefit of the added support and what it asks of them.
A familiar support point
Many orthodontic plans use other teeth and appliances for support. That may be enough for the intended correction. The question is how the planned forces will affect both the teeth being moved and the teeth providing support.
Ask at your visitCould my bite goals be met without a separate anchor?
An additional support point
A temporary anchor in bone can support selected movements when relying on teeth alone is not suitable. That benefit comes with a placement and removal procedure, care around the screw and the possibility that it may loosen or need replacing.
Ask at your visitWhich movement would the TAD help, and what are the trade-offs?
No. The reason to use one is the anchorage needed for your particular plan, not a promise of faster braces. Ask how the proposed movement fits the overall sequence and what could change the estimate. A useful comparison includes the result each option can reasonably achieve, as well as visits, risks and daily care.
Before starting
Ask whether the written orthodontic quote includes TAD placement, review visits and removal, and how replacement or additional care would be handled. Our fee guide, payment options and insurance information are starting points for the discussion. Do not assume a separate device is automatically included or covered; confirm the terms for your plan.
A little more detail
Understand the purpose, procedure and alternatives before choosing the next step.
No. A TAD is a temporary orthodontic anchor, not a replacement tooth or the permanent implant that supports a crown. It is removed when its anchorage role is complete.
Local anesthetic is used to numb the site. You may notice pressure during placement and soreness afterward. Ask about aftercare appropriate for your health history, and contact the office if pain is increasing or not settling as expected.
Possible problems include loosening or failure, irritation or infection around the site, contact with a nearby tooth root and screw breakage. A device may need removal or replacement, and occasionally additional treatment. The discussion before placement should cover the risks relevant to your site and plan.
Contact the office promptly for advice. Do not twist, tighten, push or remove the screw yourself, and do not reconnect an elastic or spring differently from your instructions. We need to assess the device and decide what should happen next.
That depends on the movement it supports and how treatment progresses. A TAD may be removed before the rest of the braces treatment finishes. Your orthodontist will explain its expected role and review whether it is still needed.
No. It can provide useful anchorage for selected tooth movements, but it does not solve every tooth or jaw relationship. Ask how a plan with a TAD compares with suitable alternatives, including their limits, risks and expected results.
No. Depending on the findings, temporary anchorage may help with selected movements such as closing spaces or uprighting a tilted tooth, as well as some bite corrections. A TAD is not automatically needed for any of these problems. Ask which movement it would support in your case.
Ask Dr. Haykani to explain the suitable alternatives and the limitations of each. A plan without additional anchorage may involve different movements or a different compromise; the same result cannot be assumed. Understanding those choices is part of deciding whether the proposed benefit is worth the procedure and care involved.
Your next step
Talk with SC Orthodontics in Valencia, serving Santa Clarita, about whether temporary anchorage could help with your individual orthodontic plan.
TADs near you
Directions and timing from your part of the valley.
Also consider
SC Orthodontics · Temporary anchorage devices
Some tooth movements need another point of support. Explore why a temporary anchor may be recommended, how it is placed and how to look after it.
A supporting role in your treatment
A temporary anchorage device, or TAD, is a small metal screw placed through the gum into bone. It gives an orthodontic appliance another point of support when relying on other teeth alone is not the best approach.
01Why anchorage matters
Orthodontic forces can affect more than the tooth you want to move. Extra anchorage may help manage those effects when planning space closure, tooth uprighting or selected bite corrections.
Not everyone needs a TAD. Dr. Haykani explains the movement it is intended to support and what the other options would involve.
A small screw provides support separate from the teeth being moved.
A prescribed elastic, spring or other attachment transfers force as part of the appliance plan.
The orthodontist directs and monitors the movement; the TAD is one part of that system.
No. A TAD can help control anchorage, but treatment still needs planning, monitoring and adjustments. The whole bite, the surrounding tissues and the response to force matter. It is not a guarantee that only one tooth will move.
02Plan before placement
The examination and appropriate imaging help assess where anchorage can be used. Your tooth roots, the proposed site and surrounding tissues matter to that decision. Review your medical history and medicines, and ask what each record adds. Our orthodontic X-ray guide explains why a surface scan and an X-ray answer different questions. You should understand the proposed position, benefit and risks before agreeing.
Dr. Haykani places TADs in the office with local anesthetic at the site. The appliance may be connected at placement or at a later stage, depending on the plan.
Ask why a TAD is recommended, how many are planned, which teeth it will help move and what the alternatives are. Review health history, medicines, site-specific risks, aftercare and what happens if a screw loosens or needs replacing.
03Look after the support point
Clean gently around the site with the brush and technique advised. Keep the rest of your teeth and braces clean, and use a rinse only as directed for your case.
At our Valencia office, we check stability, the surrounding gum and the appliance attachments. Report looseness, increasing soreness, swelling or a detached connection rather than waiting for the next routine visit.
The clinician removes the TAD and gives instructions for the small site while it heals. Removal does not necessarily mean all orthodontic treatment is finished. Continue your remaining appliance and retainer plan as directed.
For the rest of your appliance routine, read about brushing with braces. When active treatment is complete, a separate retainer plan helps maintain tooth alignment; the temporary anchor does not replace it.
Compare the support, not just the hardware
If a temporary anchorage device is recommended at our Valencia office, ask why it changes the plan. Patients across Santa Clarita should understand both the benefit of the added support and what it asks of them.
A familiar support point
Many orthodontic plans use other teeth and appliances for support. That may be enough for the intended correction. The question is how the planned forces will affect both the teeth being moved and the teeth providing support.
Ask at your visitCould my bite goals be met without a separate anchor?
An additional support point
A temporary anchor in bone can support selected movements when relying on teeth alone is not suitable. That benefit comes with a placement and removal procedure, care around the screw and the possibility that it may loosen or need replacing.
Ask at your visitWhich movement would the TAD help, and what are the trade-offs?
No. The reason to use one is the anchorage needed for your particular plan, not a promise of faster braces. Ask how the proposed movement fits the overall sequence and what could change the estimate. A useful comparison includes the result each option can reasonably achieve, as well as visits, risks and daily care.
Before starting
Ask whether the written orthodontic quote includes TAD placement, review visits and removal, and how replacement or additional care would be handled. Our fee guide, payment options and insurance information are starting points for the discussion. Do not assume a separate device is automatically included or covered; confirm the terms for your plan.
A little more detail
Understand the purpose, procedure and alternatives before choosing the next step.
No. A TAD is a temporary orthodontic anchor, not a replacement tooth or the permanent implant that supports a crown. It is removed when its anchorage role is complete.
Local anesthetic is used to numb the site. You may notice pressure during placement and soreness afterward. Ask about aftercare appropriate for your health history, and contact the office if pain is increasing or not settling as expected.
Possible problems include loosening or failure, irritation or infection around the site, contact with a nearby tooth root and screw breakage. A device may need removal or replacement, and occasionally additional treatment. The discussion before placement should cover the risks relevant to your site and plan.
Contact the office promptly for advice. Do not twist, tighten, push or remove the screw yourself, and do not reconnect an elastic or spring differently from your instructions. We need to assess the device and decide what should happen next.
That depends on the movement it supports and how treatment progresses. A TAD may be removed before the rest of the braces treatment finishes. Your orthodontist will explain its expected role and review whether it is still needed.
No. It can provide useful anchorage for selected tooth movements, but it does not solve every tooth or jaw relationship. Ask how a plan with a TAD compares with suitable alternatives, including their limits, risks and expected results.
No. Depending on the findings, temporary anchorage may help with selected movements such as closing spaces or uprighting a tilted tooth, as well as some bite corrections. A TAD is not automatically needed for any of these problems. Ask which movement it would support in your case.
Ask Dr. Haykani to explain the suitable alternatives and the limitations of each. A plan without additional anchorage may involve different movements or a different compromise; the same result cannot be assumed. Understanding those choices is part of deciding whether the proposed benefit is worth the procedure and care involved.
Your next step
Talk with SC Orthodontics in Valencia, serving Santa Clarita, about whether temporary anchorage could help with your individual orthodontic plan.
TADs near you
Directions and timing from your part of the valley.
Also consider
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