Distraction osteogenesis: advancements in the last 10 years.

Distraction is still evolving in the management of patients with orthopedic and craniomaxillofacial deformities. The relationship among latency, gap size, rate, rhythm, and duration of fixation is not totally understood for all of the individual patients and variations in their needs seen in a clinical practice. Numerous factors can influence the quality and quantity of bone seen with distraction, including the age and nutritional status of the patient and the type of distractor that is used.