Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) are used to facilitate the movement of teeth through what is called Skeletal Anchorage. TADs are also known by many names among which are mini-screws, mini-implants, and micro-implants.
They are threaded titanium screws that will not corrode in the mouth or be rejected by the body, but they will not integrated with bone like dental implants. They are designed to hold fast in bone and be compatible with the soft tissue through which they pass.
The use of TADs has created the ability to move teeth more predictably and often in directions that were previously impossible to routinely achieve. Although they cannot eliminate the need for jaw surgery or pulling teeth in all patients, many times they may change a surgery case into an extraction case or and extraction case into a non-extraction case.