AN EXAMPLE OF CRANIOPLASTY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY: A CASE REPORT
<p style="text-align: justify;">Cranioplasty is the surgical repair of a bone defect in the skull that is left behind after a severe injury or previous operation. It is usually done to protect underlying brain tissue, reduce local pain and to improve the cranial vault aesthetics. Cranial prostheses can be made from different types of materials: autologous bone, titanium, ceramics and polymers. Their production is costly and often requires complex intraoperative processes which sometimes cause poor aesthetic results in large and complex defects. Using a real case, this paper presents a customised polymethyl methacrylate implant production method which involves three dimensional reconstruction based on CT scans, technology of 3D printing and moldmaking<br />from dental plaster.</p>