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ePaper created 2015-09-15, 12:06:46 | version 1.38.0
I case report Fig. 1_One-of-a-kind mandibular implant as reconstruction for the missing mandible body. Fig. 2_Replica of the patient's skeleton. Missing mandible body replaced with a fibula graft. _Nowadays, no aspect of human life seems to havebeenleftuntouchedbytheever-expandingdig- italtechnology.Particularlyinscientificfields,digital- isationhasworkingwondersduringthepastfewyears, to the degree that it is even difficult to imagine going backtotheordealofanaloguemethodsandputtingup with their vagaries. A remarkable blessing of digital technology,amongothers,istheexceptionalprecision andhighcontroloverthemeasurements,neverpossi- ble to obtain through any of the preceding methods. There is no surprise then that it has the strongest ap- peal to the fields of knowledge and practice wherein precisionisamongstthemostcriticalelementofsuc- cess. _Hot spot for digital technology With a lot of technical sensitivity at its heart, the dentistry can easily be viewed as a hot spot for imple- menting digital technology to achieve the most- wishedprecision.Indeed,thedigitaltechnologyhasal- readygainedastablefootholdindentistryandthereis an ongoing shift towards embracing digital systems intothedentalpractice.Predictably,themajorityofthe advertised technologies and services are geared to- wards routine dental procedures. On the other hand, the most significant advancements have been wit- nessed in an area which falls only within the experi- enceofspecialists;itisthedomainofmaxillofacialsur- gerywheretailoringthetreatmentplantotheunique conditionsofthepatientisthekeytosuccess.Herethe state-of-artdigitaltechnologycomesinhandytofully customisethetreatmentbytakingtheslightestdetails intoconsiderationandreflectingthatintothesurgical andrestorativesolutions. Though the successful reconstruction of any hu- man structure is justifiably a challenge, the stakes are evenhigherwhentheoralandmaxillofacialareaisaf- fected.Inthislattercase,caremustbetakentoretrieve function in conjunction with restoring aesthetics. Oftentimes, even the second objective might take precedence.Assuch,thesignificanceofprecisionand adaptabilitytotheexistingstructuresforthemaxillo- facial implants cannot be overemphasised. Fortu- nately, with the advent of 3-D digital designing and additivemanufacturingafullysatisfactorytreatment isnomorearemotepossibility. The virtual environment of 3-D software accom- modatesfullinspectionofthesurgicalareafrommul- tiple angles. It also facilitates designing and adjust- mentoftheformofthefutureimplantwithmuchease and with respect to topography of the surrounding structures.Thankstotheavailabletechnologyandma- terial,nowitispossibleto3-Dprintsuchintricatede- signs with above-standard accuracy and minimum technicalglitch.Theresultisthehighestfitofprecision always craved for by maxillofacial surgeons to com- plementtheirskilfulincisions. _Case presentation Sinceitsinception,DRSKCompanyhasbeencom- mitted to explore potentials for incorporation of the digital and computer science into the dental field by Mandibular body reconstruction with a 3-D printed implant Authors_Dr Saeid Kazemi, Reza Kazemi, Sita Rami Reddy Jonnala & Dr Ramin S. Khanjani, Sweden 24 I implants3_2015 Fig. 1 Fig. 2