[Orthodontic anchorage in the era of osseointegration]

The introduction of the concept of osseointegration had a profound impact on dentistry of the 20th century. The idea of using this concept in orthodontics already started in the late 70th. There demand for achieving optimal esthetic results in a minimal treatment time, and the significant increase in the number of adult orthodontic patients, made osseointegration an essential adjunct to orthodontic therapy. The use of osseintegrated anchorage devices helps the clinician to overcome one of the most limiting aspects of orthodontic therapy--inadequate anchorage. In the last years a large variety of osseointegrated anchorage devices have been developed and introduced in orthodontics. The purpose of the present article is to present several cases that illustrate how to solve anchorage problems by the using the principles of osseointegration and mechanical retention. The selection of the most appropriate anchorage device for each specific case will be emphasized.