Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize the radiologic features of the new bone generated from distraction following maxillary bone transport.
Study design: Maxillary dentoalveolar segments were transported by distraction to close posterior maxillectomy defects in 9 rhesus monkeys. The distracted dentoalveoli were harvested at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months after the completion of the distraction. The specimens were evaluated by plain radiography and microcomputerized tomography scanning, which included 2- and 3-dimensional quantitative analyses of bone regeneration volume and microstructural indices.
Results: Plain radiographs showed that radiolucency in the distraction regenerate reduced with time. Microcomputerized scanning found that bone formation and trabecular thickness increased in the new bone with longer consolidation. The high orientation and connectivity of the trabeculae were reduced at longer consolidation intervals. Within the whole distraction gap, bone volume was found to be site-specific.
Conclusion: Morphologic analysis in the high resolution offered by microcomputerized tomography shows that active bone mineralization and remodeling occur in the new bone within 3 months after distraction in maxillary dentoalveolus.