Complications and Failure Rates of Temporary Anchorage Devices in Orthodontics: A Scoping Review

Background Temporary anchorage devices (TADs) provide skeletal anchorage in orthodontics, but reported complications and success and failure rates vary across studies. Aim To summarize evidence on TAD complications, success and failure rates, and factors investigated in relation to these outcomes. Methods PubMed, Europe PMC and BASE were searched on 20 August 2026. Eligibility was restricted to English publications with freely accessible full texts. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data. Thirty-seven studies were included and synthesized descriptively without meta-analysis. Results Outcomes varied across device types, anatomical sites, loading protocols and follow-up periods. Failures frequently occurred during the first few months after insertion. Root contact was associated with failure in several studies, and peri-implant inflammation was associated with early instability in one prospective study. Postoperative pain and sinus penetration were also reported. Findings concerning screw dimensions, insertion procedures, loading time and patient characteristics were inconsistent or specific to particular settings. Greater primary stability did not necessarily correspond to better clinical survival. The predictive value of inflammatory and microbiological findings remained uncertain. Differences in outcome definitions and incomplete reporting limited comparisons. Conclusions The available evidence does not support a single protocol for TAD selection, placement or loading. Future prospective studies should distinguish primary stability from clinical success throughout orthodontic loading and use standardized outcome definitions and reporting methods.