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3-D Printer Gives 83-Year-Old Woman a New Jaw

Feb. 6, 2012 11:20pm Liz Klimas

We’ve seen how a 3-D printer can make everything from Stephen Colbert’s head on the body of a T-Rex to “scaffolding” to help repair broken bones. Here’s another first in the 3-D printing world that also highlights its growing use in the medical field: doctors at the University of Hasselt in Belgium have created and put into use a jaw implant made with a 3-D printer.

Custom Jaw Made With 3 D Printer a First

The grey jaw was made using a 3-D printer. (Photo: University of Hasselt)

According to the press release from the university, an 83-year-old woman’s lower jaw was so infected that it merited removal. This would of course inhibit essential functions such as eating and breathing. A custom implant was made within a few hours using a 3-D printing technique, whereas traditionally made custom implants would take several days.

Here’s more on the implant’s creation:

The company LayerWise NV Leuven (Dr Peter Mercelis, Ir Reuben Wauthle) manufactured from titanium implant by additive Laser Melting technology, a specific form of 3D printing. Both the designing, processing and making of the implant was done digitally. ”Computer technology will cause a revolution in the medical world. We just need to learn to deal with, “adds Prof. Jules Poukens added,” The doctor and engineer together to design computer and the operating table: that’s really innovative. ”

The implant weighs about 107 grams. This is slightly heavier than a “natural” lower jaw, but not annoying. With other methods it can take two days for an implant is fully ready. With 3-D printing the job was done in a few hours. The company Cam bioceramics BV in Leiden (NL) foresaw an innovative artificial bone implant coating. This contributes to a good integration of the implant. The slots for the passage of the facial nerves, and the jaw cups were polished. The implant was also provided with openings in order to in a later phase artificial tooth roots, and an adequate level of false teeth to be able to affixing.

Medical professionals show how the lower jaw attaches to the upper at a press conference last week. (Photo: University of Hasselt)

Amazingly, near normal speech and swallowing was seen in the patient within a day of the implant surgery. The surgery was performed in June 2011, but the announcement of this custom-implant first came last week.

[H/T Gizmodo]

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Comments (30)

LovinUSA
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:31pm
No what Obama? I hope like hell she comes to where ever you are on the golf coarse and chews the **** out of your racist ass.

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LovinUSA
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 3:02pm
Bet Obama put a fast stop to this! Any one want to bet on how fast he will do it?????

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netmail
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 11:32am
So, how long before dentists routinely start making dentures using this technology, anybody know??

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- Ruler4You
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:05pm
  It’s amazing how much pain older people can endure. Those death panels could redirect a few folks to the “R & D” groups. Now that’s not like the NAZIs, “IS” it?
  
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DD313
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 10:02am
What a positively jaw-dropping story!

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SweetDoug
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 9:57am
Hey, the simply carpenter here: Why not mould the teeth into the jaw all done at once? Titanium teeth!

Take that old Mr. Nasty Cavity!

•∆•
V-V

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c.rozycki
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 8:12am
We’ve been doing this for years… on knee replacements… using a 3-D printer.

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- John in VA
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 10:54am
  The reason the technology was invented in the first place was for bone replacement… initally GE created this technology for hip replacements well over 25 years ago… problem was the plastics (liquid polymers) could not simulate the bone strength enough when it was initially invented… and it cost a boat load of money.
  
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ThePostman
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 7:28am
I know a president with a titanium skull.

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dpselfe
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 5:53am
I can see the story breaking now: Laser printer connected to IBM Artificial Intelligence Computer becomes self-aware. Begins printing killer cyborg robots which are programmed to “terminate” human beings.

Sarah Conner was right!

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- sdeakins
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 6:32am
  Manufactured by CyberDyne Systems.
  
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- Rocky_biskit
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 7:33am
  “… Artificial Intelligence Computer becomes self-aware …”
  —————————————————————————————-
  I work in the copier industry and have some knowledge on these 3d printers. Your above statement is closer than you may think, as these machines are capable of “self replicating”.
  
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Baddoggy
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 5:52am
Could it make a lock for my wife’s jaw so she would quit griping so much? Come to think of it…it would not work, she will always have “the look”…It’s the only way i know when the lawn needs to be mowed…

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HotFixIt
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 5:40am
That is cool… her age is what concerns me and Obama care…. I think Obama care will limit what medical care is available to people based on age. Age discrimination in care is already visible in our medical system. Several years ago my mother suddenly became severly ill with pneumonia… upon admission to the ER the doctor suggested “she has had a good life, maybe we should consider minimal care… she was active and healthy only 48 hours before attending hockey games, shopping, gardening and cleaning the pool! He said that based on her age alone…74! It took everything in me to keep from hitting him .. I ran him out of the room and then gave him a piece of my mind… .. and I am a nurse who had worked with him in ICU for over a year!

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- shirelover
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 6:56am
  I’m with you! What nerve. I do hope your mom is ok. This is going to be the future of medical care if we do not put a stop to obamacare.
  
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Flyingfish
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 5:29am
The only reason these are taking off is because they were developed specifically for industry and not medicine. Else they would cost 10 times as much and it would have been another 20 years before we ever saw their use.

The cool thing will be when a device that can create metal objects can be had for under $10,000 and fit on a table. The new industrial revolution will be sparked and coorporations worse nightmare will be realized, the ability to download and print just about anything.

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Diane TX
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 2:33am
I’m amazed at how fast medical technology is advancing. Obama Care will put the brakes on it – just as he put the brakes on our Space Program.

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- Welcome Black Carter
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 7:58am
  Obamma-care would have “terminated” this lady before going to the expense of replacing her jaw.
  
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Maxim
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:28am
Had this medical device been made in the U.S. it would be subject to a 50% tax under Obama care. This 50% tax on medical devices and inventions will drive up health care cost even more and inhibit the research and development of these life saving devices.

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LeadNotFollow
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:33am
…
God bless everyone involved with making this 83 year old woman’s life worth living again.

Good thing this wasn’t in America. The new Obama-care plan would have intervened, and they would have just given that dear old lady a pain pill instead, because she was useless and too old to waste time, technology, and money on.

Obama-care. Disposing of the elderly in America.
It’s coming folks. It’s just around the corner.

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- williaml
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:04am
  If it was in America, it would have taken years to make after FDA approval.
  It would probably come from China or Mexico anyway.
  
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- survivorseed
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 1:29am
  If it was gods intention for this woman to suffer agonising jaw pain, why would you want science and modern medicine to intervene?
  
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- Diane TX
  Posted on February 7, 2012 at 2:37am
  @ survivorseed
  
  Nah, God knew that this would be invented for her.
  
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TJexcite
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:19am
Any time know they will have 3D cellular printers. So you can print a heart, kidney or liver to the DNA of the recipient.

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piper60
Posted on February 7, 2012 at 12:10am
This will be an answer to the prayers of thousands of jaw cancer patients.

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Stoic one
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:51pm
With the repeal of obamacare in Jan 2013 this will be here in the USA. Good stuff.

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shackero
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:30pm
Obama-care will not cover such a divice. Heck—-They don’t even want mamograms for women until they are 50+—–and they think men with prostate cancer should just ride it out—-and mybe die frome some other ailment…………….

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applehill
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:30pm
Que the bionic sound.

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TriforcePlayer2
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:28pm
wow

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spirited
Posted on February 6, 2012 at 11:26pm
How fantastic !

>Now, what about souls?

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