Secondary mandibular reconstruction after oral squamous cell carcinoma resection: clinical reevaluation of transport disk distraction osteogenesis.

Besides bone grafting, transport disk distraction osteogenesis (TDDO) is an alternative approach that can be used for the reconstruction of the mandibular arch after neoplastic surgery. Although several animal experiments are reporting about the applicability of this technique, little is known about its long-term success in human beings. In this study, we report about the successful treatment of patients with defects of their mandibular arch due to tumor resection by means of the external bifocal TDDO.

Reliable surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion by maxillary widening device.

For surgically assisted rapid palatal expansion, bone-borne as well as tooth-borne devices to widen the maxilla are commonly used, both revealing advantages and disadvantages. In the area of bone-borne devices, several new designs have been introduced during the last years as an alternative to the tooth-borne Biederman-Hyrax screw. However, with these new distractors, new problems occurred.