Biomechanical response of a mandible in a patient affected with hemifacial microsomia before and after distraction osteogenesis

Distraction osteogenesis (DO) has gained wide acceptance in the craneofacial surgery due to the huge possibilities it offers. However this orthopaedic field is under continuous development as it still presents uncertainties. In this context, numerical modelling/analysis may help us to design patient specific treatments once they have been experimentally verified. This paper presents a finite element analysis of the biomechanical behavior of a patient's mandible with hemifacial microsomia (HFM) before and after distraction. In order to check the effectiveness of the clinical protocol, the predicted biomechanical response will also be compared with that of a symmetrical healthy mandible. Strain and displacement fields, masticatory forces as well as reaction forces at the condyles are evaluated in each mandible analyzed. The results show that the present model is a useful tool to understand the normal function of the mandible and to predict changes due to alterations in the mandible geometry, such as those occurring in hemifacial microsomia.