ABSTRACT
Rapid advances in computer technology and additive manufacturing (AM) are changing the way in which surgeons diagnose, analyze, plan, and treat patients. AM, with its wide range of processes and biocompatible and implantable material choices, is continuing to nd more applications. Patientspecic models and surgical guides have come to be widely used in craniofacial and orthopedic surgery. Dental laboratory procedures are using AM to produce more precisely tted parts. Metallic implants with mechanical properties equivalent to the region of implantation and surfaces designed for better adhesion to native bone are being fabricated using electron beam melting, direct metal laser sintering, and selective laser melting. Bioprinting and the printing of resorbable implants are gaining in importance and nding wider applications that will become routine in the near future. On-demand organ printing is the ultimate aim of tissue engineering. This chapter discusses the current and future applications of AM in the healthcare industry.
