Intraosseous screw-supported upper molar distalization

The aims of the present study were to investigate (1) the efficiency of intraosseous screws for anchorage in maxillary molar distalization and (2) the sagittal and vertical skeletal, dental, and soft tissue changes after maxillary molar distalization using intraosseous screw-supported anchorage. Twenty-five subjects (18 girls and seven boys; 11.3 to 16.5 years of age) with skeletal Class I, dental Class II malocclusion participated in the study. An anchorage unit was prepared for molar distalization by placing an intraosseous screw behind the incisive canal at a safe distance from the midpalatal suture following the palatal anatomy. The screws were placed and immediately loaded to distalize upper first molars or the second molars when they were present. The average distalization time to achieve an overcorrected Class I molar relationship was 4.6 months. The skeletal and dental changes were measured on cephalograms and dental casts obtained before and after the distalization. In the cephalograms, the upper first molars were tipped 8.8 degrees and moved 3.9 mm distally on average. On the dental casts, the mean distalization was five mm. The upper molars were rotated distopalatally. Mild protrusion (mean 0.5 mm) of the upper central incisors was also recorded. However, there was no change in overjet, overbite, or mandibular plane angle measurements. In conclusion, immediately loaded intraosseous screw-supported anchorage unit was successful in achieving sufficient molar distalization without major anchorage loss.