Skeletal anchorage uses tiny titanium mini-screws or bone plates placed temporarily in the jaw bone as a fixed point to push or pull teeth from. Because the anchor does not move, Dr. Mukund can make movements that braces alone cannot do reliably: retracting protruding front teeth, intruding over-erupted teeth, moving molars back, or correcting a gummy smile. The screws are removed painlessly once their job is done.
What is skeletal anchorage?
Every orthodontic force has an equal and opposite reaction. With braces alone, the teeth used as anchors also move a little, which limits what can be achieved. Skeletal anchorage systems (SAS) borrow anchorage directly from bone instead: temporary anchorage devices (TADs) such as mini-screws, infrazygomatic or buccal-shelf screws, and miniplates.
What it lets us do
- Retract protruding front teeth with maximum control
- Intrude over-erupted teeth or reduce a gummy smile
- Move molars backwards to create space, sometimes avoiding extractions
- Pull impacted teeth into place
- Correct open bites and canted smiles
- Replace headgear for many patients
How it works
- PlanningPosition is chosen from X-rays or CBCT to stay clear of roots and nerves.
- PlacementAfter numbing the area, the screw is placed in a few minutes. No stitches are usually needed.
- LoadingSprings or elastic chains connect the screw to the braces or aligners.
- RemovalWhen the movement is complete, the screw is unscrewed in seconds and the site heals quickly.
Protruding teeth without premolar extraction?
For selected patients with protruding upper teeth (Class II), mini-screws can move the whole upper arch backwards to make room, so premolars may not need to be removed. Whether this is possible depends on the bone, the bite and the facial profile, which we assess at consultation.
Who will treat you
Dr. Mukund D. Sawant, MDS (Orthodontics) from PGIMER Chandigarh with All India Rank 1 and residency at AIIMS New Delhi, plans and supervises every skeletal anchorage (sas) case at MDS Dental Care & Orthodontics, Badlapur.