Complications in the treatment with alveolar extraosseous distractors. Literature review

To review the literature that analyses the types and frequency of complications associated with the use of extraosseous alveolar distraction from 2007 to 2013.

Review of the literature in PubMed, using these keywords; alveolar ridge, alveolar distraction osteogenesis, complication, literature review. Inclusion criteria were: articles published between 2007 and 2013 that included the distraction protocol, the complications encountered and the time when they occurred.

According to the above criteria, 12 articles were included in this review, where 334 extraosseous distractors were placed and 395 complications were encountered, of which 19 (4.81%) were intraoperative, 261 (66.07%) postoperative and 115 (29.11 %) were post-distraction. The most common complication was the incorrect distraction vector found in 105 cases (26.58%), in 23 cases (5.82%) there were severe complications, of which 14 (3.54%) were mandibular fracture and 9 (2.27%) were fractures of the distractor elements.

According to this review, although alveolar distraction is a safe and predictable technique, it can cause complications; however, they are usually minor and easily resolved without affecting the treatment outcome.