Applied mechanics of the Puricelli osteotomy: a linear elastic analysis with the finite element method.

Background: Surgical orthopedic treatment of the mandible depends on the development of techniques resulting in adequate healing processes. In a new technical and conceptual alternative recently introduced by Puricelli, osteotomy is performed in a more distal region, next to the mental foramen. The method results in an increased area of bone contact, resulting in larger sliding rates among bone segments.