Orthodontic Assistant Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In orthodontics, "anchorage" primarily refers to the resistance to unwanted tooth movement during treatment. It plays a crucial role in ensuring that certain teeth remain stationary while other teeth are being moved into their desired positions. Proper anchorage allows the orthodontist to precisely control the movement of teeth, enabling effective treatment planning and execution. This concept is particularly important when dealing with cases where teeth need to move in a specific manner to achieve proper alignment and occlusion.

Understanding anchorage is essential for creating an efficient treatment strategy; without adequate anchorage, the forces applied to move teeth could lead to undesired movements, potentially compromising the overall results of orthodontic treatment. This is why techniques to enhance or control anchorage, such as using additional appliances or strategically selecting which teeth to use as anchor points, are key considerations in orthodontics.

The other options pertain to different aspects of orthodontic treatment, such as the design of braces, alignment techniques, and the initial positioning of brackets, but do not accurately capture the significance and definition of anchorage in this context.