Clinical Applications of Orthodontic Microimplant Anchorage in Craniofacial Patients

Microimplant anchors, also known as temporaryanchorage devices, mini- a nd micro-screws, have been used to enhance orthodontic anchorage for difficult tooth movements. Here, the authors describe how microimplants can be used to help treat craniofacial patients bysupporting distraction osteogenesi s procedures, maxillaryprotraction procedures, cleft segment expansion and st abilization, and tooth movement into narrow alveolar cleft sites. While most craniofacial patients are treated without microimplants, it would be worthwhile to identifywhich cases could benefit from microimplant anchorage. As an adjunct to orthodontic treatment, the microimplant offers a potential method for solving troublesome orthodontic and surgical problems such as guiding distraction procedures with orthodontics when primaryteeth are exfolia ting, addressing residual maxillarycants after vertical distraction osteoge nesis of a ramus, stabilizing an edentulous premaxilla, and moving teeth into atrophic alveolar ridges. These cases are presented to open a dialogue on their possible uses in craniofacial patients.