Management of obstructive sleep apnea: role of distraction osteogenesis

Distraction osteogenesis to expand the facial skeleton is an alternative to standard orthognathic surgery for selected patients with obstructive sleep apnea. For children with congenital micrognathia or midface hypoplasia, distraction osteogenesis allows large advancements without the need for bone grafting and with less risk of relapse. For later-onset obstructive sleep apnea, distraction osteogenesis may represent an alternative when acute bone movement is expected to be difficult (scarring from previous surgery or radiation therapy) or when the risk for inferior alveolar nerve damage is unacceptable (patients older than 40 years).