Combined maxillary and mandibular distraction osteogenesis in patients with hemifacial microsomia.

Introduction: Hemifacial microsomia is a deformity of variable expressivity with unilateral hypoplasia of the mandible and the ear. In this study, we evaluated skeletal soft tissue changes after bimaxillary unilateral vertical distraction.

Methods: Eight patients (4 preadolescents 4 adolescents) each with a grade II mandibular deformity underwent a LeFort I osteotomy and an ipsilateral horizontal mandibular ramus osteotomy.

Transverse effects on the nasomaxillary complex one year after rapid maxillary expansion as the only intervention: a controlled study.

The aim of this study was to assess by means of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans the transverse effects on the nasomaxillary complex in patients submitted to rapid maxillary expansion (RME) using Haas expander in comparison to untreated individuals. This prospective controlled clinical study assessed 30 subjects (18 boys and 12 girls) with mixed dentition and during pubertal growth. The treated group was submitted to RME with Haas expander, retention for six months and a six-month follow-up after removal.

Treatment of midfacial hypoplasia in syndromic and cleft lip and palate patients by means of a rigid external distractor (RED).

Introduction: Distraction Osteogenesis (DO) became an alternative for the treatment of severe craniofacial skeletal dysplasias. The rigid external distraction device (RED) is successfully used to advance the maxilla and all the maxillary-orbital-frontal complex (monobloc) in children, adolescents and adults. This approach provides predictable and stable results, and it can be applied alone or with craniofacial orthognathic surgical procedures.