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Anchorage Control and PDF
Anchorage Control and PDF
IN BRIEF
PRACTICE
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Anchorage is the resistance to unwanted tooth movement
It can be obtained from a number of different sources
Loss of anchorage can have a detrimental effect on treatment
Safety is of prime importance when using extra-oral devices
9
Orthodontics. Part 9: Anchorage control and
distal movement
D. Roberts-Harry1 and J. Sandy2
Anchorage is defined as the resistance to the buccal teeth will also move mesially. Space
ORTHODONTICS unwanted tooth movement. Newton's third law for the canine retraction may be eliminated with
1. Who needs states that every action has an equal and opposite insufficient space left for alignment of the ante-
orthodontics? reaction. This principle also applies to moving rior teeth. Figure 1c compares the root area of
2. Patient assessment and teeth. For example, if an upper canine is being some of the upper teeth. The combined root area
examination I retracted, the force applied to the tooth must be of the upper incisors and upper canines is
3. Patient assessment and resisted by an equal and opposite force in the around the same as that of the first molar and
examination II other direction. This equal and opposite force is premolars. Therefore, if the upper labial segment
4. Treatment planning known as anchorage. including the upper canines is retracted in a
5. Appliance choices Anchorage may be considered similar to a tug block, there will be an equivalent mesial move-
6. Risks in orthodontic of war. Two equal sized people will pull each ment of the upper molar and upper premolar.
treatment other together by an equal amount. Conversely a These factors need to be very carefully consid-
big person will generally pull a small one without ered in planning anchorage requirements and
7. Fact and fantasy in
being moved. However, if two or more smaller tooth movement.
orthodontics
people combine then their chances of pulling a Anchorage may be derived from four sources:
8. Extractions in
big person will increase. Similarly, the more
orthodontics
teeth that are incorporated into an anchorage • Teeth
9. Anchorage control and block, the more likely it is that desirable as • Oral mucosa and underlying bone
distal movement opposed to undesirable tooth movements will • Implants
10. Impacted teeth occur. Undesirable movement of the anchor • Extra oral
11. Orthodontic tooth teeth is called loss of anchorage.
movement If an upper canine is to be retracted, with bod- TEETH
12. Combined orthodontic ily movement using a fixed appliance, the force The anchorage supplied by the teeth can come
treatment applied to the tooth will be approximately 100 g from within the same arch as the teeth that are
(Fig. 1a). Forces in the opposite direction varying being moved (intra maxillary) or from the
1*Consultant Orthodontist, Orthodontic from 67 g on the first permanent molar to 33 g opposing arch (inter maxillary).
Department, Leeds Dental Institute, on the upper second premolar resist this. Low
Clarendon Way, Leeds LS2 9LU;
2Professor of Orthodontics, Division of levels will produce negligible tooth movement Intra maxillary anchorage
Child Dental Health, University of Bristol and the effect of a light force of 100 g would be The anchorage provided by teeth depends on the
Dental School, Lower Maudlin Street, to retract the canine with minimal anterior size of the teeth, ie the root area of the teeth. Fig.
Bristol BS1 2LY;
*Correspondence to: D. Roberts-Harry
unwanted movement of the anchored teeth. 1c shows the root surface area of each of the
E-mail: robertsharry@btinternet.com However, if the force level is increased to say teeth in the upper arch. The more teeth that are
300 g (Fig. 1b), the force levels on the anchor incorporated into an anchorage block the less
Refereed Paper teeth increase dramatically to the level where likely unwanted tooth movement will occur.
doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.4811031
© British Dental Journal 2004; 196: unwanted tooth movements will occur. If a removable appliance is used, the base plate
255–263 Although the canine may move a little distally, and retaining cribs should contact as many of
PRACTICE
PRACTICE
IMPLANTS
Osseo-integrated implants can be used as a
very secure source of anchorage. Implants
integrate with bone and do not have a peri-
odontal membrane. Because of this they do
not move when a force is applied to them and
in some cases they can provide an ideal source Fig. 3 When fixed
of anchorage. Recently small implants for appliances are used,
orthodontic use have been specifically as many teeth as
designed and can be used in the retro-molar possible are banded to
increase the anchorage
region to move teeth distally or anteriorly for
mesial movement. Short 4mm implants can be
➠
Fig. 4c Intermaxillary elastics use teeth in the opposite arch as a Fig. 4d Class III elastics
source of anchorage. Class II traction is shown here
PRACTICE
Occipital Reverse
This is also known as high pull headgear and Reverse or protraction headgear is useful for
is applied via an occipitally placed head-cap mesial movement of the teeth, either to close
(Fig. 8b). It is easy to fit but is more obvious spaces or help to correct a reverse overjet. It does
than the neck strap and tends to roll off the not employ a face-bow, which is an advantage
head unless carefully adjusted. Because the but instead employs intra-oral hooks to which
force is in a more upward direction, there is elastics are applied (Fig. 9a,b).
generally less distal tipping of the upper molar
and less extrusion, but also less distal move-
ment than with cervical headgear. The tipping LOSS OF ANCHORAGE
and extrusion effect again depend on the This is defined as the unplanned and unexpected
length and height of the outer bow. movement of the anchor teeth during orthodon-
tic treatment.
Variable There are several causes of loss of anchorage.
This applies a force part way between cervical Some examples of these are:
and occipital (Fig. 8c) and is our preferred
• Poor appliance design
choice. It takes slightly longer to fit than
• Poor appliance adjustment
either cervical or occipital and is more obtru-
• Poor patient wear
sive. However it is secure and comfortable and
the vector of the force can be varied to pro- Poor appliance design
duce relatively less tipping and/or extrusion. Failure to adequately retain the appliance, or
Whilst headgear is a very useful source of incorporate as many teeth into the anchor block
anchorage, it has a number of disadvantages. as possible are common causes of anchorage
These are as follows: loss. If fixed appliances are used, as many
PRACTICE
Fig. 5a A steep anterior palatal vault is a useful source of Fig. 5b A shallow palatal vault provides less anchorage
anchorage due to the buttressing effect
PRACTICE
Fig. 8a A neck strap. Note the snap Fig. 8b An occipital (high pull) Fig. 8c A variable pull Interlandii
away safety mechanism headgear again with a snap away safety headgear. A rigid plastic strip is
system employed as a safety mechanism to
prevent the facebow disengaging from
the molar bands and coming out of
the mouth
PRACTICE
0.6 mm
PRACTICE
b c
a continuous level of force almost independent of membrane is compressed (Fig. 13). No tooth
the amount of deflection and have transformed movement occurs for a few days after this, as
the use of fixed appliances in recent years. Heat cells are recruited in order to remodel the socket
activated wire is now available that will increase as well as the periodontal membrane. This cell
its force level as the temperature changes. These recruitment takes a few days and is known as the
wires exhibit a so-called shape memory effect. If lag effect. Part-time wear of appliances will not
the wire is cooled and tied into the teeth it deflects allow efficient cell recruitment and the lag phase
easily into position. As the wire warms in the will not be passed which may result in poor
mouth it gradually returns to its original shape tooth movement. This is another reason why
moving the teeth with it (Figs12a–c). fixed appliances, which cannot be left out of the
For optimal tooth movement it is important mouth by patients, are much more effective than
that continuous gentle forces are applied to the removable appliances at achieving a satisfactory
teeth. Fixed appliances are ideal for doing this. treatment outcome.
When removable appliances are worn, the
patient should wear them full-time except for RETRIEVAL AND PRESERVATION OF
cleaning and playing contact sports. Part-time ANCHORAGE
wear produces intermittent forces on the teeth Extra-oral devices can be used for distal move-
and is likely to reduce the rate of movement. ment as well as anchorage reinforcement. For
When a force is applied to a tooth, there is an anchorage control wearing the headgear at
initial period of movement as the periodontal night-time only is usually enough. In order to
produce distal movement, the patient should
wear the appliance in excess of 12 hours usu-
ally for the evenings as well as at nighttime.
Fig. 13 Tooth movement Lag period While some practitioners increase the force
requires light continuous mm levels for distal movement purposes, it is our
forces. In this graph tooth 1.5
movement in mm is shown experience that this is not necessary and a
on the y-axis and time in force of approximately 250–300 g per side is
days on the x-axis. If a adequate for both distal movement and
force is applied to a tooth 1.0 anchorage control.
the periodontal membrane
is compressed and there is
Many devices have been described to reduce
a small amount of initial or eliminate the need for headgear. These are
movement. Movement 0.5
however of limited use and can only produce a
then stops as bone cells are very small amount of extra space. If these gadg-
recruited and the socket ets are used without anchorage re-enforcement
starts to be remodeled.
After about 14 days unwanted mesial movement of the anchor teeth
0
sufficient recruitment and could occur. Figures 14a–c shows one example
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30
remodeling has occurred to known as a Jones jig. To produce distal move-
allow the tooth to move Days ment of the molars the anchorage is reinforced
with an anterior trans-palatal arch. A jig incor-
PRACTICE
Fig. 14a-c A Jones jig for distal movement of the molars (14a). a
A palatal arch is fitted to the first premolars to increase the
anterior anchorage. A jig is then inserted into the buccal arch
wire and headgear tubes. An open nickel titanium coil spring is
then slid over the shaft of the jig and compressed by sliding a
collar onto the shaft and tying it to the premolar (14b). This
then uses the upper premolars and palatal vault to distalise
the molars (14c). Note the simultaneous mesial movement
of the first premolars which is a sign of anchorage loss
b c
porating a nickel-titanium coil spring is inserted Thanks to Mr. R Cousley for figure 6 and Mr. J Kinelan for
into molar tubes and tied into the premolar figures 14a-c
bands. The molars are distalised using the ante- 1. Booth-Mason S, Birnie D. Penetrating eye injury from
rior teeth from premolar to premolar as the orthodontic headgear. Eur J Orthod 1998; 10: 111-114.
anchorage block. It is important to note the loss 2. Samuels R H A, M Willner F, Knox J, Jones M L. A national
of anchorage that is occurring as demonstrated survey of orthodontic face bow injuries in the UK and Eire.
Br J Orthod 1996; 23: 11-20.
by the simultaneous mesial movement of the 3. Samuels R H A, Jones M L. Orthodontic face bow injuries and
first premolars. Once distal movement of the safety equipment. Eur J Orthod 1994; 16: 385-394.
molars has been achieved the anchorage rein- 4. British Orthodontic Society, 291 Grays Inn Road, London
WC1X 8QJ.
forcement can be transferred to the molars 5. Postlethwaite K. The range and effectiveness of safety
(palatal arch or Nance button) and the premo- headgear products. Eur J Orthod I988; 11: 228-234.
lars, canines and incisors retracted. True anchor- 6. Samuels R H A, Evans S M, Wigglesworth S W. Safety catch
for Kloen face bow. J Clin Orthod 1993; 27: 138-141.
age re-enforcement with these devices is diffi- 7. Crabb J J, Wilson H J. The relation between orthodontic
cult to achieve and headgear, or implants must spring force and space closure. Dent Pract Dent Res 1972;
still be considered the mainstay of producing 22: 233-240.
effective distal movement.