Case Study JS

Our patient is a healthy 42 year-old male who presented to my office from a local dentist for reconstruction of the deficient anterior upper jaw.

After evaluation of the patient I felt that distraction osteogenesis surgery would provide a superior result vs. bone grafting because distraction osteogenesis surgery would reconstruct the height and width of the deficient ridge.

In June the patient underwent segmental osteotomy of the upper jaw and placement of the distraction device. After 6 days of healing the device was activated at a rate of .8 mm per day for 7 days.

Four months after the distraction was completed two dental implants were placed by Dr. Ed Mills of Atlanta. Four months later the implants were restored.

The patient is currently 5 years after surgery and the implants have been successful.

Fig 1 a: Panorex of patient before surgery	Fig 1 b: Steriolithic model of patient's maxilla before surgery
Fig 1 c: Clinical of patient before surgery	Fig 2: Panorex with distraction device in place
Fig 3: Panorex at end of distraction	Fig 4: Clinical photo of patient at end of distraction
Fig 5: Clinical photo of dental implants placed 12 weeks after distrction