Vertical distraction osteogenesis of fibula transplant for mandibular reconstruction: a case report

Bone continuity defects in the mandible are caused by tumor surgery, trauma, infection, or osteoradionecrosis. Today, reconstruction of long-span mandibular defects with a free fibular flap is a routine procedure. However the bone height of the mandible after reconstruction is about half that of the dentulous mandible. Therefore, the deficiency in bone height makes implant placement impractical. In our case, because it was necessary to restore the mandibular height, a vertical distraction osteogenesis was performed on the grafted mandible of the patient who was referred to our clinic with a reconstructed mandible owing to a gunshot injury. As a result, the vertical discrepancy between the fibula and the native hemimandible of the patient was corrected. And the placement of dental implants was performed without any complications. In conclusion, we believe that the vertical distraction osteogenesis of free vascularized fibula flaps is a reliable technique that optimizes implant positioning for ideal prosthetic rehabilitation.