Prosthesis customization in maxillofacial surgery by means of Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers great potentialities in the medical sector, particularly when part customization is sought after. Maxillofacial surgery has to deal with complex bone fractures and facial reconstructions, hence the need of metallic prostheses to help in the process of bone growth and fracture healing. Commercial prostheses, even if available in different sizes, might not fit the patient's anatomy, and thus should be adapted directly in the operating room. This paper provides an insight on how AM approach, by designing and producing customized prosthesis from computer tomography scan data, can lead to predictable and reliable results reducing the stress on both surgeons and patients.