Surgical lengthening of the mandible: a laboratory model

Mandibular lengthening in mongrel dogs was evaluated in four animals. Extraoral approaches were used for mandibular exposure. Step osteotomies were performed on the buccal aspect and oblique osteotomies were performed on the lingual aspect of the mandible. The anterior fragment of the mandible was advanced 10 mm. A Dacron-urethane mesh tray, in the form of the mandible, was placed across the defect as a container of bone graft material and to help stabilize the segments. The bone graft material was harvested by aspirating the bone particles formed when the osteotomy cuts were made, thus creating a bone slurry which was placed within the implant. The results suggest that the use of the implant tray in conjunction with the bony slurry provided an appropriate physiologic setting for rapid new bone formation, restoring continuity to the defect.