Distraction osteogenesis is a method of generating new bone after making a corticotomy (cut in the outer layer of bone) or osteotomy (cut through the bone) and gradual distraction. It is based on the ‘Tension-Stress’ Principle. This method is used as an alternative to bone grafting and has the advantage of making use of newly formed native bone over a foreign bone graft. This technique has applications in Orthognathic surgery (to correct deficiency of jaws) and in augmenting the alveolar bone for implant placement. Recent research supports the use of this technique to reconstruct resected parts of jaws.
