Intermolar Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis IMDO

Lengthening the human mandible by distraction osteogenesis (DOG) has become an accepted treatment to correct severe mandibular hypoplasia (Kessler et al. Mund Kiefer Gesichtschir 4(3):178–182, 2000a; Wiltfang et.al. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg 40:473–479, 2002). Mandibular distraction osteogenesis is especially used for neonates and infants with upper airway obstruction secondary to micrognathia. In infants extraoral appliances and in young adults intraoral distraction devices are used. As described in this chapter, there is a very different genetic distribution of growth patterns in the viscerocranium. In some regions, class II jaw relations predominate up to 60% of all treatment cases, while in Asian countries class III or relative class III jaw relations are more common. The success of distraction treatments, especially in newborns and patients with syndromal growth disorders affecting the jaws, has led to DOG also being used in classic orthodontic treatments (Kessler et al. Mund Kiefer Gesichtschir 4(6):373–376, 2000b; Breik et al. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 45(6):769–782, 2016). The structure that stays behind in growth in the mandible is usually the lower jaw body. For special indications or treatment courses, intermolar osteotomy and DOG treatment in the mandible represents an additional surgical treatment option during growth (Garcia-Piña and Coceancig Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 481:118, 2019).