This study describes a case with an impacted right mandibular second molar which was distalized using miniplates for skeletal anchorage. Uprighting impacted mandibular second molars has been a great challenge for orthodontists and oral surgeons because of the scarcity of anchorage options. Skeletal anchorage was first used in clinical orthodontics in the middle of the 1980s. Since then, several devices have been developed for that purpose, such as mini-screws, tooth implants and, lately, miniplates, which have been tested and showed encouraging results. This topic is relevant for orthodontists and oral surgeons because the use of miniplates may significantly change the treatment of impacted mandibular molars.
Skeletal anchorage; Tooth impaction; Molar distalization
