The invention relates to a plate distractor, particularly a maxillofacial plate distractor, comprising a first (12) and a second (14) fixing plate, a threaded pin (24) mounted in a freely rotatable and translatably fixed manner in relation to the first fixing plate (14), a screwed tube (26) fixed to the second fixing plate (12), a permanent magnet (20) extending in a main direction, which is magnetised transversely to the main direction and mounted in the plate distractor (10) such that the rotation of the magnet (20) on itself, about an axis of rotation (D) parallel to the main axis, causes a relative rotation of the threaded pin (24) in relation to the screwed tube (26), the magnet (20) being arranged close to one of the ends of the plate distractor (10).