A pediatric mandibular distractor comprising a housing member elongating along a longitudinal axis, the housing member having at least one elongated slot elongating along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis and opening laterally through at least a side portion of the housing member at least one fixed footplate attached to the housing member a drive rod and at least one moveable footplate engageable with the drive rod through the elongated slot by a connector. Wherein, when the fixed and moveable footplates are attached to the respective first and second bone surfaces, a bottom portion of the housing member is proximate to the first and second bone surfaces, and the side portion is further from the bone surfaces than the bottom portion in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. Methods of assembling and installing the exemplary pediatric mandibular distractor summarized above are also disclosed.
