Promising New Horizons in Medicine: Medical Advancements with Nanocomposite Manufacturing via 3D Printing

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing technology has fundamentally revolutionized the product development processes in several industries. Three-dimensional printing enables the creation of tailored prostheses and other medical equipment, anatomical models for surgical planning and training, and even innovative means of directly giving drugs to patients. Polymers and their composites have found broad usage in the healthcare business due to their many beneficial properties. As a result, the application of 3D printing technology in the medical area has transformed the design and manufacturing of medical devices and prosthetics. Polymers and their composites have become attractive materials in this industry because of their unique mechanical, thermal, electrical, and optical qualities. This review article presents a comprehensive analysis of the current state-of-the-art applications of polymer and its composites in the medical field using 3D printing technology. It covers the latest research developments in the design and manufacturing of patient-specific medical devices, prostheses, and anatomical models for surgical planning and training. The article also discusses the use of 3D printing technology for drug delivery systems (DDS) and tissue engineering. Various 3D printing techniques, such as stereolithography, fused deposition modeling (FDM), and selective laser sintering (SLS), are reviewed, along with their benefits and drawbacks. Legal and regulatory issues related to the use of 3D printing technology in the medical field are also addressed. The article concludes with an outlook on the future potential of polymer and its composites in 3D printing technology for the medical field. The research findings indicate that 3D printing technology has enormous potential to revolutionize the development and manufacture of medical devices, leading to improved patient outcomes and better healthcare services.

Effectiveness of traditional band and loop space maintainer vs 3D-printed space maintainer following the loss of primary teeth: a randomized clinical trial

“…Patient-specific design components, made feasible by 3D printing, improve appliance operation, and sophisticated layer-by-layer production www.nature.com/scientificreports/ procedures lead to a structurally better device. Furthermore, the better biocompatibility of 3D printing materials encourages a more favorable tissue response, minimizing the risk of soft tissue irritation and boosting overall patient comfort and acceptance [32][33][34][35] .…”

Highly Reinforced Acrylic Resins for Hard Tissue Engineering and Their Suitability to Be Additively Manufactured through Nozzle-Based Photo-Printing

“…Although it is recognized that continuous fiber reinforced polymers represent the best solution for mechanically mimicking mineralized tissues [ 10 , 11 ], unfortunately, additive manufacturing of continuous fiber reinforced polymers still shows limitations, thus encouraging the use of particle reinforced resins [ 12 ]. On the other hand, a high particle fraction is required to reinforce polymers in order to mimic mechanical properties of mineralized tissues [ 13 , 14 ], but the resulting high viscosity prevents 3D printing of highly filled particulate composites through traditional fused deposition modeling ( Figure 1 a) or through stereolithography ( Figure 1 b) [ 15 , 16 ]. However, an innovative additive manufacturing technology, based on the extrusion of particle reinforced photo-polymers, has been recently developed ( Figure 1 c) [ 17 , 18 ].…”