Purpose For the reconstruction of craniofacial deformities, the distraction osteogenesis is an useful method which can make new soft tissues as well as new bone. Although the distraction osteogenesis is an effective procedure in quantitative aspects, the new bone formed by this procedure can be coarse in qualitive aspects sometimes. Materials and methods Twelve rabbits, weighing about 2 kg, were included and the prefabricated distraction device were used. After a latency period of 5 days, in the experimental group (n=6), the mandible was distracted at the rate of 1.0 mm/day for 2 days and then compressed with 1.0 mm for the next 3rd day, therefore distracted totally to a length of 1.0 mm for 3 days. This procedure was repeated 5 times and, as a result, the experimental group was distracted to a length of 5.0 mm for 15 days finally. In the control group (n=6), the mandible was distracted totally to a length of 5.0 mm at the rate of 1 mm/day. At 2 weeks and 8 weeks of consolidation in the control group, 3 rabbits in each group were sacrificed and their biopsy specimens from the distracted mandible were taken. Results All animals showed the mandibular elongation clinically and radiographically. Histologically, many blood vessels, osteoblasts and immature bones formed by osteoid deposition were observed in the experimental group at 2 weeks. At 8 weeks, the bony trabeculae were thicker than the ones in the control group and were composed of lamella bones and woven bones in the experimental group. On histomorphometric analysis, the bone deposition area of the distracted site was broader in the experimental group $(273.8{pm}115.7;cm^2)$ than the one in the control group $(199.4{pm}101.4;cm^2)$. Futhermore, the modified rate of bone deposition area was higher in the experimental group (48${pm}$20%) than the one in the control group (35${pm}$18%). However, these data showed no significant differences statistically. Conclusion These results suggest that the distraction osteogenesis by using an alternating distraction/compression protocols is an effective method for increasing new bone formation in distracted areas.