Precise Tooth Movement With Temporary Anchorage Devices in Arvada, CO
Orthodontics has always faced a physics problem. Move one tooth and, because every force has an equal and opposite reaction, the teeth being used as the anchor drift too. Temporary anchorage devices solve it. A TAD is a small titanium screw placed in the jawbone or palate that gives Dr. Michael Berger a fixed point to pull against — one that does not move because it is anchored in bone, not attached to other teeth.
For patients at our Arvada practice that means movements which used to require headgear, extractions or surgery can often be handled inside a normal course of braces or aligners.
What TADs Make Possible
- Closing space after an extraction without pulling the back teeth forward and losing bite position
- Uprighting tilted molars that have drifted into an old gap
- Intruding overerupted teeth — moving a tooth back up into the bone, which is nearly impossible without skeletal anchorage
- Correcting an open bite or a deep bite with fewer compromises elsewhere in the arch
- Anchoring a MARPE expander so that palatal expansion moves bone rather than tipping teeth, which also supports airway-focused treatment
- Retracting front teeth in cases where profile change is part of the goal
Not every case needs one. When a TAD is on your plan, Dr. Berger will show you exactly which movement it is there to control and what the alternative would cost you in time or teeth.
Placement and What It Actually Feels Like
Placement happens in our office and usually takes a few minutes per screw. The site is numbed with local anesthetic, and the TAD is inserted through the gum into the bone. There are no incisions and no stitches. Most patients say the strangest part is the sound, not the sensation.
Afterward, expect mild soreness for a day or two — over-the-counter pain relief is typically enough — and eat softer foods that first evening. You brush around a TAD like you brush around a bracket, gently and thoroughly. Rinsing with warm salt water for the first few days keeps the tissue calm.
TADs come out when their job is done, often before the rest of your treatment finishes. Removal takes seconds, usually needs no anesthetic at all, and the tissue closes on its own within a couple of weeks.
Why We Use Them
Better control
Anchorage in bone means the force goes only where we aim it, so the finish is more accurate and there are fewer unwanted side effects to undo later.
Shorter treatment
Movements that would otherwise be staged sequentially can happen at the same time, which for many patients removes months from the plan.
Fewer compromises
Some cases that once pointed toward extractions, headgear or surgery can be treated conventionally with skeletal anchorage instead.
Comfort and convenience
Compared with headgear, a TAD asks nothing of you. There is nothing to wear, remember or comply with — it simply works while you go about your day, and our remote monitoring keeps tabs on progress between visits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a TAD a dental implant?
No. It is much smaller, it is not fused into the bone, it holds nothing permanent, and it is designed from the start to be removed.
Will people see it?
Most TADs sit against the palate or high on the gum, well out of the line of a smile.
What if it comes loose?
Occasionally one loosens. Call us and we will remove it, let the site heal and reposition it — this is a minor detour, not a failed treatment.
Are they safe?
Titanium miniscrews have decades of clinical use behind them. Placement is minimally invasive, planned from imaging, and reversible by design.
Do children get TADs?
They are used mostly in older teens and adults, once enough bone has developed to support them well.
Ask Whether a TAD Belongs in Your Plan
If you have been told your case needs extractions, headgear or surgery, a second opinion is worth having. Consultations at Berger Orthodontics are complimentary. Contact our Arvada office to schedule with Dr. Berger, a member of the American Association of Orthodontists and a 2024 Neighborhood Faves winner.