Distraction osteogenesis of the mandible: a ten-year experience.

Mandibular distraction has been performed at the authors' institution for the past 10 years on a variety of craniofacial anomalies. This article reviews the experience with distraction and outlines the authors' treatment algorithms based on patient age and pathology. The roles of distraction versus conventional orthognathic surgery are reviewed. The need for preoperative surgical planning and postoperative orthodontic therapy is emphasized.