Obliteration of the pulp canal caused by mandibular distraction: a case report.

We present a 16-year-old boy with a history of ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) who had been treated with a costochondral graft and mandibular distraction. The distraction seems to have caused pulp canal obliteration of the lower right second premolar and lower right first molar on radiographic examination. To our knowledge this is the only reported instance of such damage related to mandibular distraction. We aim to highlight the risks of this complication and the importance of discussing it with patients as part of the process of informed consent.