ANTERIOR MAXILLARY ADVANCEMENT USING TOOTH-SUPPORTED DISTRACTION OSTEOGENESIS

Purpose: This study used the principle of distraction osteogenesis to advance the anterior maxilla of the dog using a totally tooth-supporte d distraction device. Materials and Methods: After an anterior maxilla ry osteotomy, the distraction device was activated 0.5 mm every 12 hou rs to advance the anterior segment 10 mm in 10 days. Results: Serial t ooth and radiographic measurements indicated that on the 10th day the average tooth advancement was 8.4 mm +/- 1.5 mm and the average skelet al advancement was 4.0 mm +/- 1.5 mm, After 6 weeks the average tooth advancement was 7.2 +/- 1.6 mm and the average skeletal advancement wa s 3 +/- 1.3 mm, At 3 months the tooth advancement was 6.2 +/- 1.5 mm a nd at 6 months the tooth advancement was 5.0 +/- 1.1 mm, Bone healing was present in all animals. Conclusion: This results of this study ind icate that a tooth-borne maxillary distraction device will result in s ignificantly greater dental movement than skeletal movement and that s keletal fixation may be needed for appliances used to advance the maxi lla.