A 3D printed jaw. The start of a sci-fi thriller, or a new advancement in the world of medical devices?
Using a 3D printed jaw joint, Australian engineers have corrected a man's congenital jaw deformity, according to ENC magazine.
The new jaw joint replacement was printed in titanium and manufactured using the latest 3D metal printing capabilities.
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne along with Epworth Freemasons’ Oral & Maxillofacial surgeon George Dimitroulis worked together, along with medical devices company, 3D Medical, to make the surgery possible.
“We believe the techniques we have developed and the latest 3D printing technology will facilitate a new direction in research and manufacture of implantable devices," said Dr. David Ackland, a senior lecturer and researcher in experimental muscle and joint biomechanics at the University of Melbourne, who led the team of engineers.
