Knowledge Domain and Innovation Trends Concerning Medical 3D Printing for Craniomaxillofacial Surgery Applications: A 30-Year Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis

Study Design: Descriptive study (review containing bibliometric analyses). Objective: Since the inception of three-dimensional printing (3DP), various studies have been conducted worldwide to investigate the utilization of 3DP in craniomaxillofacial (CMF) surgery. Analyzing the current state of global research in medical 3DP in CMF surgery is a crucial first step in identifying knowledge gaps and focusing research resources on pressing problems that have not yet been addressed. Therefore, the current study was designed to present a comprehensive review of scientific research data to discover trends in the last 30 years of global research on 3DP in CMF surgery. Methods: All publications from 1994 until 14 February 2023 were retrieved from the core collection of Web of Science using a defined search. Detailed bibliographic data for all retrieved publications were collected. The bibliometric analysis was performed using VOS viewer, Histcite, and Microsoft Excel. Results: A total of 1367 evaluable articles were retrieved. Results showed that although there is an exponential increase in the number of publications related to 3DP in CMF surgery, there is a substantial regionalization of research, with the U.S.A. and China being the most significant contributors to the retrieved articles. It was also observed that there is a scarcity of published literature related to bioprinting in CMF surgery. Conclusion: This is the first study that specifically analyzed the published literature concerning 3DP in CMF surgery in a structured quantitative manner. The study found a concentration of research in specific geographies and indicated a need for more diversified research in this field. The study also identified a need for public sector involvement in such research to aid in the further dissemination of knowledge.