Inferior　alveolar　nerve　(IAN)　injury　is　a　concern　in　mandible　distraction　osteogenesis　(DO).　We　have　previously　demonstrated　that　repeated　local　injections　of　human　nerve　growth　factor　beta　(NGF-beta)　have　significantly　enhanced　the　histologic　recovery　of　the　IAN　in　a　rabbit　model　of　DO.　This　study　was　to　further　test　the　effect　of　a　single　injection　of　human　NGF-beta　delivered　via　a　collagen/nanohydroxyapatite/kappa-carrageenan　gel　to　the　recovery　of　the　IAN　in　DO.　Rabbits　underwent　mandibular　DO　at　a　rate　of　0.75　mm/12　h　for　6　days.　At　the　end　of　the　distraction　period,　injections　were　performed　near　the　IAN　percutaneously　as　follows:　group　1,　human　NGF-beta　in　the　gel;　group　2,　human　NGF-beta　in　saline;　group　3,　the　gel　alone;　and　group　4,　saline　alone.　At　14　days　after　the　end　of　distraction,　IAN　histologic　findings　and　histomorphometric　parameters　were　evaluated.　Histologically,　there　were　less　myelin　debris　and　more　abundant　regenerating　nerve　fibers　in　group　I　than　the　other　groups.　Both　the　myelinated　fiber　density　and　the　myelinated　axon　area　in　group　I　were　significantly　higher　than　groups　3　and　4　(P　＜　0.01);　the　myelinated　axon　area　in　the　group　I　was　significantly　higher　than　group　2　(P　＜　0.01).　In　conclusion,　the　delivery　of　human　NGF-beta　in　the　gel　leads　to　a　better　acceleration　of　the　IAN　injury　recovery　over　the　saline　delivery.　It　provides　a　possible　way　to　enhance　the　recovery　of　nerve　injuries　in　craniofacial　DO　clinically.