Distraction Osteogenesis is a recently developed technique. It involves the sectioning of bones, as in bone grafts and orthognathic surgery, but the bones are not mobilized. After waiting a few days, the sectioned bones are gradually moved to a new location at a slow and conservative rate. The bones are then held in place using the same device that moved them for a few weeks.
This is usually a minor procedure and Drs. Holmes and Sclar can often perform it in the office with minimal anesthesia requirements. It may allow shorter and simpler procedures that in some cases may avoid orthognathic and graft operations.
