Intraoral distalizers are widely used in orthodontics to move maxillary molars distally, creating space for the correction of dental crowding, Class II malocclusions, and molar protraction. Conventional distalizers, such as the pendulum appliance, distal jet, and Jones jig, rely on intraoral anchorage from anterior teeth or palatal structures to generate distal forces. While effective, these appliances often cause undesirable side effects, such as anchorage loss, mesial drift of anterior teeth, or unintended tipping of molars. Due to these limitations, patient compliance with elastics or additional anchorage support is often necessary to maintain treatment efficiency.
Skeletal anchorage, using mini-implants or palatal TADs, has significantly improved the biomechanics of intraoral distalization by providing absolute anchorage and eliminating unwanted reciprocal movements. Unlike conventional distalizers, skeletal anchorage prevents anterior anchorage loss, allowing for true bodily movement of molars without undesirable effects on the anterior dentition. Additionally, mini-implants enable controlled, segmental distalization, which improves efficiency and reduces treatment time. This technique is particularly beneficial in non-extraction treatment plans where space creation is necessary without compromising anterior alignment.
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