AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF MANDIBULAR ARCH WIDENING IN THE DOG USING DISTRACTION OSTEOGENESIS

Purpose: This study evaluated the amount of skeletal and dental wideni ng of the mandible in the dog produced by using a tooth-borne distract ion device. Materials and Methods: Pour adult mongrel dogs had osteoto mies performed in the parasymphysis region and had a tooth-borne distr action appliance placed to widen the mandible 10 mm. The interarch dis tance between the canines and between the fourth premolar teeth, as we ll as between the intrabony markers, was compared. Results: The canine teeth moved 95% of the distraction device movement, whereas the bone widened 55% of the distraction device movement. Histological evaluatio n showed woven bone formation within the distraction gap. Conclusion: This study shows that a tooth-borne mandibular widening device will mo ve the teeth significantly more than the bone.