Trans-sutural distraction is a biological process that induces the formation of new bone and changes the position of bone by pulling on growing suture under the action of external forces. Currently, therapy to midfacial hypoplasia treated by trans-sutural distraction has been applied. In this study, Beagle dogs were selected as experimental animals, and a traction device designed by ourselves was applied to Beagle dogs to simulate the treatment process of trans-sutural distraction in human face, so as to provide a basis for the subsequent research on the related mechanism of trans-sutural distraction. The objective is that the animal model can provide the basis for the follow-up study of trans- sutural distraction. 45 month beagle dogs were randomly divided into two groups 3 in experiment group and 3 in control group. Implant nails were implanted as the bone marker in the bilateral zygomatic temporal suture, zygomandibular maxillary suture and palatine transverse suture in experimental group. The traction of the maxilla was carried out by the external cranial traction frame with canine fossa as bearing point, 800g force each side, elastic traction for 15 days. The control group only implanted the implant nail as the bone marker on both sides of the bone suture. The distance between two implant nails was measured by vernier calipers and X-ray examination, compared with preoperative and postoperative changes. X-ray and cephalometric measurements were used to measure change in the cranial basal angle . HE staining was used to observe the width of the bone seams, the morphology and structure of the cells and the tissue of the new bone under the phase contrast microscope. Then descriptive statistical analysis and t-test between two independent samples are carried out for the measurement data. The experimental group had a good retention of the beagle traction frame. In the experimental group, the maxillaries of dogs were protrudent in the process of traction gradually and the occlusal relationship changed to type II malocclusion. When the traction is 15 days, the coverage distance is about 8~9 mm. Before and after the traction, the distance between landmark points indicated that the spacing between the transverse palatine suture was the largest (experimental group: 5.52±0.19 mm control group 1.31±0.06 mm P<0.05), and zygomaticotemporal suture was the second (experimental group: 3.12±0.15 mm, control group 0.73±0.04 mm, P<0.05), and zygomaticomaxillary suture was less (experimental group: 2.60±0.34 mm, control group 0.53±0.05 mm, P<0.05). The cranial basal angle was no change before and after operation (controlgroup: 32.3±1.3°, experimental group: 33.2±1.1° P>0.05. Histology showed that the collagenous fibers in the suture of the control group were denser and the osteoblasts were visible on the edge of the suture, showing osteogenic activity. The experimental group significantly widened suture (experimental group:1209.388±42.714 μm, control group 248.276±22.864 μm, P<0.05), the number of fibroblasts increased significantly with loose collagen fiber. The direction of cell and fiber arrangement were parallel to the traction force. There were many small blood vessels and marrow cavities, and the bone trabecula around the bone suture was thin (experimental group: 23.684±3.774 mm, control group: 86.810±9.219 mm, P < 0.05), showing active osteogenic activity. The growing beagle dog can be used to establish a suture traction animal model for experimental study. In the experiment, Kirschner wire was used to penetrate the bottom plane of the piriform hole of the maxilla (about the position of the canine fossa at the back) and the traction direction was basically the same as the growth direction, and the maxilla was basically parallel and moved forward.
KEY WORDS: Suture diatraction osteogenesis; Extracranial traction frame; Midfacial hypoplasia; animal model.
