Cephalometric evaluation of the craniofacial complex in patients treated with an intraoral distraction osteogenesis device: a long-term study.

Introduction: Distraction osteogenesis has gained popularity because of the hypothesized concurrent soft-tissue expansion, which is believed to reduce postoperative relapse. Although many articles describe the immediate success of mandibular distraction, little research has been done on its long-term stability. Our goal was to examine the long-term craniofacial changes after distraction.

Cephalometric evaluation of the craniofacial complex in patients treated with an intraoral distraction osteogenesis device: a preliminary report.

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate cephalometrically the efficacy of an intraoral distraction osteogenesis device in treating patients with unilateral mandibular hypoplasia. Six patients with hemifacial microsomia underwent unilateral mandibular distraction. Posteroanterior and 45 degrees lateral oblique cephalograms were measured, and changes in maxillary width and height, occlusal height, ramus height, mandibular length, and chin position were quantified.