Success rate of surface-treated and non-treated orthodontic miniscrews as anchorage reinforcement in the lower arch for the Herbst appliance: A single-centre, randomised split-mouth clinical trial

Summary Background Surface treatment of miniscrews was implemented to determine whether its application increased bone-to-surface contact and enhanced the interlock between the device and the surrounding bone. Objectives To compare the success rate of surface-treated and non-treated orthodontic miniscrews used as reinforcement of anchorage during treatment with the Herbst appliance. Trial design Split-mouth design with an allocation ratio of 1:1. Methods Eligibility criteria to enrol patients were skeletal and dental class II patients with a retrusive chin, use of the Herbst appliance to correct malocclusion, need for skeletal anchorage using a miniscrew both in the left and right side of the mouth, absence of systemic diseases, absence of using drugs that alter bone metabolism, and good oral hygiene. Patients received self-drilling miniscrews without surface treatment and with surface treatment. Both types presented a 1.4 or 1.2 mm diameter. Miniscrews were inserted between the first molar and second premolars or between the two premolars. The force applied to the screws was an elastic chain from the head of the miniscrews to a direct button applied on the canines. The success rate of each type of miniscrew was considered the primary outcome, and the association of success with demographical, clinical, and geometrical characteristics was investigated. Differences were tested by the generalised linear mixed effects model for the split-mouth design. Differences with a P-value < 0.05 were selected as significant. Randomisation A randomisation list was created for the mouth side assignment. Blinding The study was single blinded with regard to the statistical analysis. Results Thirty-nine miniscrews of the non-treated type and 39 miniscrews of the surface-treated type were inserted in 39 patients (23 female and 16 male, mean age: 15.55 ± 7.91) recruited between March 2018 and December 2020 with a split-mouth study design. The mean therapy duration was 9.3 months (SD = 1.31). No differences in failure rate were observed between miniscrew types. No serious harm was observed. Conclusions The success rate of surface-treated and non-treated miniscrews showed no significant differences. Registration This trial was not registered.