Understanding distraction osteogenesis on the maxillofacial complex: a literature review.

Management of skeletal deformities in the maxillofacial region has been an important challenge for medicine and dentistry throughout their evolution as health care sciences. Distraction osteogenesis (DO), also referred to as osteodistraction, is a surgical technique that uses the body's own repairing mechanisms as allies for optimal tissue reconstruction. This method has gained acceptance and joined the conventional techniques for comprehensive treatment of patients with skeletal insufficiencies, and its successful application in the maxillofacial complex has been extensively reported. The primary aim of this article is to summarize the information on DO, thus contributing to its study, development, and application in challenging situations of our clinical practice as oral and maxillofacial surgeons.