Mandibular distraction: evolution of treatment protocols in hemifacial microsomy

Osteodistraction is currently used in those disorders presenting with osseus tissue deficit, excellent results having been obtained in the craniofacial complex. The factors contributing to the success of this procedure are a thin layer of subcutaneous tissue, minimum movement of the cutis, good vascularization of the soft tissues, and the good healing that ensues. The good plastic effects on the soft tissues and the possibility of constantly modulating the strength and monitoring the results have led to distraction osteogenesis gaining increasing consensus in the treatment of congenital and acquired deformities and in some selected cases, for the treatment of osseous deficits caused by trauma, postsurgical outcomes, or even severe alveolar deficits. Furthermore, in the last few years, this surgical technique has been successfully used in the treatment of pediatric deformities such as hemifacial microsomia, some severe class II skeletal deformities, and some syndromic cases, such as the treatment of temporomandibular ankylosis outcomes. In our opinion, guidelines in the indications for distraction are mandatory to select the procedure best suited to the pathologic situation of each individual patient.