EVALUATION OF MANDIBULAR ELONGATION BY DISTRACTION OSTEOGENESIS

Abstract

This study was conducted, in Assiut University Hospital, General Surgery Department, to evaluate the mandibular lengthening by distraction osteogenesis. It was conducted on four patients, three females and one male, who were admitted in Maxillofacial Unit and their age ranged from 9 to 22 years. Three of our cases were complaining of facial deformity in the form of retrognathia and one case from both retro and • laterognathia.

For every patient, a full medical history, full clinical examination and laboratory investigations were done. Also panoramic views, and lateral cephalograms \Vere done for every case preoperatively and postoperatively.

A simple extra-oral distraction device (designed by Dr./ S. Shaltout) was used in our cases. Under general anesthesia the distraction device was applied and osteotomy was done bilaterally in the body of the mandible. After 5 days of fixation we started distraction by 0.8 mm./day • for a period according to the desired increase in mandibular length, then we fixed the device for about 6 weeks.

The results of this study showed significant increase of the mandibular length after distraction with improvement of the facial appearance of the patients. In all cases there was no injury ofthe inferior alveolar nerve, but lower lip numbness and hypothesia occurred with distraction and disappeared after stoppage of distraction. Also the families of our cases noted marked improvement of snoring and it was completely disappeared after stoppage of distraction.