Loudoun Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery works closely with your orthodontist to improve the function and health of your teeth and jaw. When the orthodontist recommends moving just a few of your teeth, we generally utilize orthodontic temporary anchorage devices (TADs). These mini screws (also called temporary implants) are strategically inserted into specific places in the mouth, where they can be used as a fixed point from which the necessary teeth can be moved. This allows for discrete tooth movement without the use of headgear or moving teeth that are already in their correct positions.
Bollard Anchorage Devices
The Bollard anchorage device is a type of TAD we often recommend instead of headgear to accompany orthodontic treatment in certain instances. When there is a deficiency of growth in the upper jaw that may lead to poor chewing and a caved-in facial appearance, Bollards may help eliminate the need for more extensive surgery in the future. The key to treatment is early recognition of the growth discrepancy while the facial skeleton is still developing. This age is generally between eleven and fourteen depending on the growth pattern of the child.
Bollards work with the natural growth of a child to augment the deficient area to allow it to grow in harmony with the rest of the facial skeleton. The Bollard anchorage device is an effective alternative to headgear when used in the right circumstance. Bollards treat the skeleton, which is the source of the problem, whereas traditional headgear works to a larger extent on the teeth. The elastic bands which deliver the force can be worn around the clock, which is much more efficient than headgear (worn mainly at night for appaearance considerations). Bollard anchorage devices are much smaller, more discrete, and require less work on the part of the patient.
Placing a Bollard anchor is done in our office at Loudoun Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. It is a surgical procedure, and although we typically just administer a local anesthetic, children may do better with some type of sedation. Dr. Andrew Bluhm, Dr. Steve Dorsch and Dr. Gene Vandervort will discuss your treatment and sedation options during your initial consultation.
To learn more about our TAD devices in Ashburn or Leesburg, Virginia, and to set up your consultation with our surgeons, we invite you to contact our team today.
