3DP materials and methods for orthopedic, dental and maxillofacial implants: a brief comparative report

Abstract

The current approach of modifying standardized prosthetics for orthopedic, dental and maxillofacial implants made from conventional manufacturing techniques have been found inconvenient to customize for specific cases as the complex geometry of the skeletal tissue varies appreciably from patient to patient [ 1 , 2 ]. These standard procedures justly demand patient-specific, complex-shaped, custom-made implants be reliably delivered in minimal time. In this specific regard, 3DP implants are extensively researched [ 3 ]. A significant number of research outcomes sufficiently emphasize the desirable superior shape conformity and the short delivery time provided by the custom-made 3DP implants compared over conventional implants. These potential benefits facilitated by the novel 3DP technology can be adequately explained by the inherent ability of various modern 3DP disciplines to manufacture complex shaped implants by efficiently converting any patient-specific x-ray or CT scans into STL files. In this academic paper, we comparatively review the methods and materials utilized for specific 3DP implants.