Common indications for a TAD include

Common indications for a TAD include

• A. Canine retraction, molar intrusion, and space closure with controlled movement.
• B. Root canal therapy.
• C. Extraction planning.
• D. Tooth whitening.

Answer: (A)

Temporary anchorage devices provide a fixed point in the bone to anchor tooth movement, enabling precise, controlled repositioning without relying on other teeth or patient cooperation. The main indications involve guiding tooth movement in ways that are hard to achieve with conventional anchorage. For example, they let us retract canines without causing the molars to move forward, intrude molars to correct vertical discrepancies or open bites, and close spaces with predictable, controlled forces. This combination—canine retraction with stable molar anchorage, molar intrusion when vertical control is needed, and space closure with defined movement—is exactly what TADs are used for.

Root canal therapy is an endodontic procedure focused on pulp health, not tooth movement. Extraction planning may involve decisions that use TADs, but TADs themselves aren’t an indication for planning extractions. Tooth whitening is a cosmetic procedure unrelated to orthodontic anchorage.