TADs (Temporary Anchorage Devices): Orthodontic Mini Screws in Shelby Township
*For new patients only. Patients transferring from another orthodontist: $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here.
How Much Do TADs Cost?
When a temporary anchorage device (TAD) is recommended, Dr. Fredal reviews why it may help, how it fits into the overall treatment plan, and any associated costs during the consultation.
Not every orthodontic patient needs TADs. When indicated, TAD placement may be coordinated with a trusted periodontist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon and may involve a separate fee from the specialist. If specialist coordination is needed, the Fredal Orthodontics team helps facilitate the referral and makes the process as seamless as possible.
There are no surprises: any TAD recommendation, specialist coordination, and the anticipated treatment sequence are discussed before treatment begins.
Dr. Fredal does not place TADs in his own office. A trusted oral surgeon or periodontist outside the practice places the mini screws. That specialist may bill separately. The Fredal Orthodontics fee does not change with how long treatment takes.
Financing
- In-house financing: 0% interest and no credit check, with $750 down for comprehensive braces or Invisalign.
- Monthly payments: starting as low as $179, with plans of up to 30 months. Amounts vary with the treatment cost, the down payment and the financing terms.
- Cherry: down payments as low as $189.99. CareCredit financing is also offered.
- Pay in full: 5% off by cash, check or ACH (a bank transfer), or 3% by credit card, on the part you pay after insurance.
- Insurance: Fredal Orthodontics is in-network with Delta Dental and accepts most major PPO plans. For plans it is not in-network with, it files claims on your behalf. You get your benefits verification in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions About TADs
What is a temporary anchorage device (TAD)?
A temporary anchorage device, or TAD, is a small screw placed temporarily in the bone of the jaw. Orthodontists also call it a mini screw, and the two names mean the same thing. At Fredal Orthodontics it is one tool Dr. Fredal may choose for a case, not a routine part of every treatment plan.
Who places a TAD if Dr. Fredal recommends one?
An oral surgeon or periodontist outside the practice. Dr. Fredal refers the placement out rather than placing a mini screw himself, and when a case needs one the Fredal Orthodontics team arranges the referral to a trusted specialist and makes the process as seamless as possible.
When would Dr. Fredal use a TAD?
In open bite treatment. An open bite is a gap between the upper and lower front teeth when the back teeth are closed. Dr. Fredal’s plan for it depends on the cause and the severity of the bite problem, so a temporary anchorage device is one of several options, alongside Invisalign, braces and posterior intrusion (moving back teeth up into the bone). The choice is made case by case.
How does Dr. Fredal decide whether a TAD is needed?
From the records taken at the consultation. Every case at Fredal Orthodontics is diagnosed in three dimensions, on an i-CAT CBCT scan (a 3D X-ray) together with an iTero digital scan. Dr. Fredal reviews those records with you himself, then gives his treatment recommendation and the exact treatment cost in writing.
Is there an extra charge for a TAD?
The specialist who places the mini screw may charge a separate fee for it. Any TAD recommendation, the coordination with that specialist and the expected treatment sequence are discussed with you before treatment begins, so the cost is clear first. The Fredal Orthodontics treatment fee itself does not change with how long treatment takes.
Is there a charge for a TAD consultation?
No. A new patient pays nothing for the consultation, and the 3D CBCT scan taken at every new-patient visit is free too, with no separate imaging fee. A patient transferring from another orthodontist in active treatment pays a $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start at Fredal Orthodontics.
Find Out If TADs Are Part of Your Plan
The consultation is free for new patients. It includes a free 3D CBCT scan on the practice’s i-CAT FLX V17, an iTero digital scan and clinical photographs. Dr. Fredal reviews the complete records with you. Then he gives you his treatment recommendation, including any TAD recommendation, and the exact treatment cost in writing.
*For new patients only. Patients transferring from another orthodontist: $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here.