Distraction osteogenesis for the cleft lip and palate patient.

Gradual maxillary distraction by modified osteotomies and external force systems is a procedure with minimal morbidity and few complications. The interaction between surgeons and orthodontists is critical, however. The wide range of possibilities for remodeling a hypoplastic maxilla by distraction allows the potential to simultaneously advance and to elongate the midface, thereby restructuring the skeletal framework with mature new bone. An expansion of all the soft tissues of the face and palate (muscles, nerves, vessels, mucosa, skin) occurs in conjunction with bone elongation. This process ultimately produces excellent functional and aesthetic results in patients with midface deficiency, thus restoring their facial appearance and avoiding many years of facial deformity and associated psychologic sequelae.