Journal of Prosthodontics News
January 9, 2019
Direct 3D Printing of Flexible Nasal Prosthesis
In the January issue of the Journal of Prosthodontics and online now, Dr. Ahmed Nuseir and colleagues propose a complete digital workflow to directly design and fabricate a prosthetic nose.
The authors suggest such a workflow can lead to enhanced prosthesis reproducibility and acceptability and may become an effective treatment option for patients with facial defects.
Contemporary digital technologies have been integrated in prosthetic procedures reconstructing missing facial parts, specifically ears. Digital skin reproduction and 3D scanners and printers have been reported to enhance ear shape and color reproduction. However, the application of digital technologies is still partial, and the final prosthetic ear is usually manufactured conventionally using stone molds. Also, some of these technologies cannot be applied to nose reconstruction, as there is no existing part to mirror as in the case of a unilateral ear.
This report introduces a complete digital workflow for complete integration of digital technology to construct a nasal prosthesis and compares it to conventional workflow.
Citation: Nuseir A, Hatamleh MM, Alnazzawi A, et al: Direct 3D printing of flexible nasal prosthesis: Optimized digital workflow from scan to fit. J Prosthodont doi:10.1111/jopr.13001
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