
83 year-old woman got 3D printed mandible - DanielRibeiro
http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2012/02/05/83-year-old-woman-got-3d-printed-mandible/
======
tuacker
Just watched this TED talk today[1] and mentioned to a friend that 3D printing
is going to be "really, really cool". While the video probably won't show
anything new for your average hacker here it might be a good introduction for
people around you.

Creating a lower jaw within a few hours is "really, really cool".

[1]
[http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_harouni_a_primer_on_3d_printin...](http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_harouni_a_primer_on_3d_printing.html)

------
tomjen3
Pretty cool. I am looking forward to when we can print an new spine and other
major bones.

------
MSexton
The University's press release:
[http://www.uhasselt.be/UH/Tijdschriften/ToonPersmededeling.h...](http://www.uhasselt.be/UH/Tijdschriften/ToonPersmededeling.html?i=482)

------
sp332
I'm extremely impressed that this just took a few hours. How did they get the
right shape? Did they just print a copy of an old (pre-infection) scan of her
mandible? Or did a doctor "clean up" the scan of her current, damaged jaw?

~~~
Luc
That's just the printing time. Designing the jaw took much longer (it's a
complex joint apparently), and after printing it needed to be polished and
coated in a bio-compatible layer by a different company.

Printer's press release: [http://www.layerwise.com/en/news/layerwise-builds-
the-world%...](http://www.layerwise.com/en/news/layerwise-builds-the-
world%E2%80%99s-first-patient-specific-lower-jaw)

~~~
Someone
About that 'apparently': I guess they would take their time for any joint, but
a jaw is special in two ways:

\- it hinges at two points. As with doors, those must be t exactly the right
distance of each other, or the thing simply will not fit, and be perfectly in
line, or rotating the thing will cause huge forces on those hinges. I guess
these could easily break of the new jaw or, worse, parts of the upper jaw.

\- it must close perfectly flat; you do not want to have only a few teeth
touch when it is maximally closed.

------
agumonkey
and there's even a youtube 'animated slides':

    
    
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP1jUABA6A4&feature=youtu.be
    

(skynet will be their main customers)

kudos to the whole team(s)

------
benologist
Pointless summary of [http://www.3ders.org/articles/20120203-83-year-old-
woman-got...](http://www.3ders.org/articles/20120203-83-year-old-woman-
got-3d-printed-mandible.html)

------
xenophanes
Neat. What material is it made out of?

~~~
ot
Titanium.

Reminded me of this website where you can send a 3D drawing and get it printed
in titanium (among other materials):

<http://i.materialise.com/materials/titanium>

