Distraction osteogenesis: a literature review

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) is a surgical-orthodontic technique, described primarily in orthopedic surgery in order to promote long-bone lengthening. This technique results in new bone formation through the lengthening of the bone callus, consisting of a biological process which sets off the bone neoformation after the separation of two bone structures that used to be a single unit. The induced traction generates tension within the callus and stimulates the formation of new bone parallel to the distraction vector. This force also creates tension on the surrounding soft tissues, initiating a sequence of adaptive changes known as distraction histogenesis. DO has been widely used in the treatment of patientswith great craniofacial bone deficiencies. Besides, it can eliminate the need for graft procedures and provide sufficient bone quality and quantity to allow implants and prostheses to be placed and orthodontic movements to be performed. The present study is a literature review that aims to illustrate the historic evolution and the biological principles of DO, describing its clinical applications and what can be expected for future treatments.