title: Alveolar distraction osteogenesis for oral rehabilitation in reconstructed jaws.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present a literature review of alveolar distraction osteogenesis (ADO) for reconstructed jaws, with emphasis on indications, critical surgical factors, protocols and complications for oral rehabilitation of reconstructed jaws.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The defects in jaw result mostly from malignancy, benign tumor or gunshot injury. Jaw reconstructions were performed mostly by vascularized fibula graft. Alveolar distraction was primarily indicated to correct vertical discrepancy between the reconstructed region and residual ridge in order to achieve adequate height of the transplanted bone prior to implant placement. The vertical bone height gained ranged from 6 to 15 mm. The most common complications reported were infections and distractor malalignment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review reveals few numbers of case series on this topic. However, ADO in reconstructed jaws can produce consistent evidence of bone regeneration, with stable augmentation results clinically, histologically and radiographically, thus making it a predictable surgical procedure prior to oral implant rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR. lkcheung@hkucc.hku.hk
authors.forename: Lim K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Firdaus
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hariri
authors.forename: Hannah D P
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Chua
mesh_terms: D000540:Alveolar Ridge Augmentation / Q000379:methods; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007568:Jaw / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000379:methods*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D016896:Treatment Outcome