ABSTRACT
Distraction osteogenesis has become a treatment alternative to treat severe craniofacial skeletal dysplasias. A rigid external distraction device has been successfully used to advance the maxilla as well as the maxillary, orbital, and forehead complex (monobloc) in children as young as 2 years, adolescents, and adults. For this severe group of patients, the technique has been found to be simpler and safer than traditional surgical methods. Maxillary and midfacial advancement through distraction has been found to be extremely stable in the patients in whom the technique was used.The authors introduce an intraoral distractor for those patients requiring a moderate maxillary advancement. The advantages of the device include ease of insertion, vector adjustability, reactivation capabilities, and no need for second procedure for its removal.The above approaches have provided predictable and stable results. A detailed description of the device, necessary orthodontic and surgical procedures, case reports, and cephalometric outcomes are presented. The techniques can be applied alone or as an adjunct to traditional orthognathic and craniofacial surgical procedures.
