Distraction Osteogenesis is an advanced surgical technique which is used to create a greater volume of bone in which to place implants.
This technique was originally developed to lengthen leg bones and first used in dentistry in 1973 in which bone generation and soft tissue proliferation are achieved by means of gradual, controlled distraction of pre-existing native bone.
This technique involves creating a surgical fracture in the jawbone and placement of a distraction device which then gradually moves the separated fragment of bone away from the main section. The resulting gap is filled in with healing bone resulting in a greater amount of available bone. In actual fact as the segment is moved very slowly there is actually never a gap as heeling bone is constantly formed.
