title: The use of mandibular body distraction in hemifacial microsomia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goals of treatment for hemifacial microsomia include horizontalization of occlusal plane and acquisition of facial symmetry. Although horizontalization of occlusal plane can be easily achieved, facial symmetry, particularly in relation to mandibular contour, can be difficult to attain. Soft tissue is generally reconstructed to correct facial asymmetry, and no studies have described correction of facial asymmetry through skeletal reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 12-year-old girl presented with grade IIb right-sided hemifacial microsomia. She was treated using Nakajima's angle-variable internal distraction (NAVID) system for mandibular body distraction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following treatment, appropriate facial symmetry was achieved, and the patient was extremely satisfied with the results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, we successfully treated the present patient by our novel method involving distraction osteogenesis. This method was effective and useful for several reasons including; the changes were not accompanied by postoperative tissue absorption, donor sites were not involved, and the treatment outcome could be reevaluated by adjusting distraction while the patient's appearance was being remodeled.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ward, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kishi
keywords: Distraction osteogenesis; hemifacial microsomia; mandibular body distraction; mentular distraction