An elderly woman in Belgium has successfully had her entire lower jaw replaced with one created with a 3D printer. This is reportedly the first time something like this has been done.
3D printers, which use lasers to fuse particles in titanium powder to create solid objects, were able to create a replacement jaw for the 83-year-old much more quickly than conventional methods. In cases like this, a unique implant is created to fit the patient.
Because of the patient's age, and the status of her jaw, time was a factor. With all the time saved, she only spent 4 days recovering in the hospital after a 4-hour surgery.
3D printers can be used to create anything imaginable, from simple tools to complex designs with moving parts, and different densities can be programmed in. This procedure is the first time a human's lower jaw has been entirely replaced with something printed, and the patient's jaw can now function normally. As I mentioned earlier, the printer used titanium powder, but the jaw is not entirely metallic. It's also made of ceramics, and despite its components, it's only 30 grams heavier than the original bone.
The inclusion of 3D printers into the medical field can open up new avenues and advance the field of custom implants with reduced waiting time for new implants and increased ease of customization. 3D printers are more than tools now, they're steps to creation.
Because of the patient's age, and the status of her jaw, time was a factor. With all the time saved, she only spent 4 days recovering in the hospital after a 4-hour surgery.
3D printers can be used to create anything imaginable, from simple tools to complex designs with moving parts, and different densities can be programmed in. This procedure is the first time a human's lower jaw has been entirely replaced with something printed, and the patient's jaw can now function normally. As I mentioned earlier, the printer used titanium powder, but the jaw is not entirely metallic. It's also made of ceramics, and despite its components, it's only 30 grams heavier than the original bone.
The inclusion of 3D printers into the medical field can open up new avenues and advance the field of custom implants with reduced waiting time for new implants and increased ease of customization. 3D printers are more than tools now, they're steps to creation.
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