Abstract The aims of this study were to identify (1) patient-related factors (sex, age, craniofacial pattern and smoking habit), (2) miniscrews implants (MSI)-related factors (length and diameter) and (3) location-related factors [bone (maxilla or mandible) and area (buccal, lingual and alveolar ridge)] that may be associated with MSI loss of stability. A total of 1356 MSI were installed in 570 patients (423 females and 147 males) with mean age of 42.7 during a 10-year period and were clinically evaluated once a month until the end of the proposed movement. Length (5, 7, 9 and 11 mm) and diameter (1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 mm) of the MSI were selected according to insertion site. The evidence of clinical mobility during treatment or fracture during insertion was considered as failure. A total success rate of 89.1% was observed. There was no statistically significant difference in loss of stability when considering age, sex, craniofacial pattern or smoking habit. Considering diameter, there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.645), but the shorter miniscrews (5 mm) showed higher failure rates (p < 0.001) than the longer ones. There were more loses (p < 0.001) in the mandible than in the maxilla, but the area (buccal, lingual or alveolar ridge) did not interfere in the results (p = 0,421). It can be concluded that MSIs are effective for skeletal anchorage in orthodontics. Patient-related factors, such as sex, age, smoking habit and craniofacial pattern, did not affect MSI success. However, the use of shorter MSIs (5 mm) was inversely proportional to failure probability, and loss of stability was greater in the mandible.