Placement of implants in distraction osteogenesis: a pilot study in dogs

This study investigated the possibility of achieving osseointegration of implants placed in a distracted site during the consolidation period. Four healthy male mongrel dogs were used in this experiment. A subperiosteal corticotomy around the mandible was performed between the left mandibular premolar and first molar. After a 7-day latency period for soft tissue healing, the distraction was performed at the rate of 1 mm per day for 14 consecutive days to allow for 14 mm of elongation, using an extraoral distraction device. Three weeks after the completion of distraction, screw-type implants were placed in the distracted site. Twenty-four weeks after placement of the implants, they were stable, and osseointegration had been achieved physically, radiographically, and histologically. These results suggest the possibility of shortening the period of implant treatment by using the distraction osteogenesis technique.