Tooth movement using palatal implant supported anchorage compared to conventional dental anchorage

Tooth stability is one of the most changing parameters in age. The aim of the present study has been to clarify the therapeutic benefit of the osseointegrated palatal implant (PI) supported anchorage in adolescents compared with conventional dental anchorage (DA) in extraction cases requiring 'maximum anchorage' in growing patients following the post pubertal growth spurt. Thirty patients (14.22±1.37 years) selected with homogeneous facial skeletal characteristics were divided in two groups. In the PI group, Orthosystem(®) implants were placed into the palate for anchorage and the transpalatal arch (TPA) was fixed to the implant and to the molar bands. In the DA group maximal anchorage was provided by a TPA and a utility arch. Super-elastic spring was used for canine- and contraction arch for incisor retraction. An insignificant difference was observed between the groups as to the duration of the canine retraction. In the PI group, the duration of the front retraction and the total treatment time was shorter compared to the DA group (P<0.05). No significant difference in molar mesial movement was found during canine retraction, but during front retraction, there was significantly less mesial molar movement in the PI group compared to the DA group (P<0.05). The use of palatal implant-based anchorage does not offer a shorter canine retraction period, but resulted in a significant shortening of the front-retraction phase and a total treatment time shortened by 5 months on average. The tooth stability in adolescent patients is adequate for tooth movements using both methods.