Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADs) in Newport Beach

Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) are small titanium mini-implants — sometimes called mini-screws or micro-implants — that an oral surgeon places into the jawbone to give an orthodontist a fixed point to push or pull against. In orthodontics every force has an equal and opposite reaction, so without a stable anchor, moving one tooth can drag others out of position. A TAD provides that anchor, so the teeth that should move go exactly where they are planned to go, and the teeth that should stay put do.

TADs let orthodontists achieve movements that used to require bulky headgear or were not possible at all — intruding over-erupted molars, closing large spaces, uprighting tilted teeth, and correcting bites more efficiently. They are placed through the gum into the bone, do not fuse permanently the way a dental implant does, and are removed easily once they have done their job.

Dr. Nader Salib, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Newport Beach, places TADs precisely and comfortably in collaboration with your orthodontist — planning each position from imaging so the device sits in safe, stable bone, clear of tooth roots and nerves.