• Question: How do you feel about 3D printing to create bone and facial implants?

    Asked by to Del, Catherine, John, Krishna, Mo Rassul on 14 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Catherine Mansfield

      Catherine Mansfield answered on 14 Mar 2014:

      I think that 3D printing will be very important for medical treatments in the future. It will allow us to use cells from the patient themselves to print replacement organs. Using cells from the patients reduces the chance of the implant/transplant being rejected by the body.
      This is definatley the way the medical science is heading.

    • Photo: Adelle Thrower

      Adelle Thrower answered on 14 Mar 2014:

      3D printing is going to be a big thing in the future- could you imaging a world where we can print out a new organ if one of ours breaks……. We could in theory live for a very long time…… Exciting stuff!

    • Photo: John Foster

      John Foster answered on 16 Mar 2014:

      3D printing is looking to become a big deal in science and medicine. It would be very useful for bone and facial implants in medicine. Surgeons are also thinking of using the technology to print out complex damaged organs to practice on before treating the actual patient.

      There is a cool exhibition on it at the Science Museum at the moment. However, although the technology is getting cheaper there is a lot that needs improving. Sometimes the printers can become misaligned and you get a messy blot of plastic at the end.

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