Maximum Clinical Insertion Torque and Its Association With the Success Rate of Orthodontic Miniscrews (MTtorque)

Orthodontic miniscrews are widely used to provide temporary skeletal anchorage, yet the prognostic value of the insertion torque generated at placement remains uncertain. In this single-center prospective cohort, miniscrews placed for skeletal anchorage during routine fixed orthodontic treatment were followed under real-world clinical conditions. All miniscrews were placed by a single experienced operator following a standardized clinical protocol. Maximum clinical insertion torque was recorded at final seating using a calibrated manual disk-type torque wrench as the reference measurement, with a digital torque meter used for corroboration at sites with difficult access or when values exceeded the manual gauge range. Each miniscrew was monitored at routine orthodontic visits from placement until elective removal or failure, and its observation time was recorded. The study evaluates the association between maximum insertion torque and miniscrew outcome, accounting for the clustering of multiple miniscrews within patients, and describes insertion torque across anatomical insertion sites.