How 3D Printers Can Advance

Medical Technology

By Annie Lloyd

How 3D Printers Can Advance Medical Technology

Introduction

Printing in 3D can advance medical technology. In the future we will be able to print our

own organs and tissues ending the organ donation shortage and hospitals will be able to

print customised drugs that are more effective and easier to consume. The dental industry

will be revolutionised once 3D printers become common for the usage of reproducing

teeth, crowns and replacement jaws. Prosthetics will also become inexpensive, more

comfortable and lighter with the 3D printer. The medical industry will have to adapt to the

modern day.

What is 3D printing?

Also known as Additive Manufacturing, a 3D printer is a machine that creates solid

objects. It can create everyday objects, such as keys, toys and even houses in a shorter

period of time. This new invention may stop all traditional manufacturing techniques in the

future and will thus revolutionise how basic items are created. Printing in 3D is now being

considered for use by medical technologists. It was first invented by Charles Hull, during

the late 1980s for rapid prototyping. It was the first type

of stereolithographic apparatus printing process. It

proved that complex objects could easily be created.

There are many different forms of materials that can be

used to create 3D objects for different medical

purposes.

Dentists have a wide range of materials that can be

used to produce jaw and teeth replacements as well as

wax patterns for fixed prosthodontics. Firstly VeroDent

(MED670) and VeroDentPlus (MED690) provide a thickness layer of 16 millionths of a

meter. Using these materials dentists are able to do smaller features in greater detail as

well as having excellent strength and it being very durable. Finally, Bio- compatible

(MED610) is a clear substance that will only last for a short period of time as a mouth

replacement.

The printing of metals such as titanium and stainless steel are used to create limbs and

jaw replacements. There are two main metal materials that are used in printing medical

objects. Firstly, Stainless Steel; it is turned into a powder form and is naturally silver. The

strongest possible metal material is Titanium which has a light grey colour.

There is a wide range of drugs that can be 3D printed. Any medicine in powder form can

be 3D printed into a pill. Using new materials and liquids it is easier to consume the pills

and is more effective.

There is currently a large quantity of research being done on the use of biomaterial for 3D

printing. Materials are classified as biomaterials if they are a substance that can be

introduced to tissues as a living organ or another bodily function.

Bio fabrication is the production of tissues and organs to cope with health difficulties.

Scientists can regrow many types of human tissues using a 3D printer. In the future we

will be able to remove human organs and tissues that have been severely damaged

through injury or through an illness and replace those with 3D printed ones. We will no

longer have the difficulty of people not providing organs for transplants. Our lives will be

revolutionised with this new medical technology.

This report will investigate the type of 3D printing that human production needs and thus

focuses on bio fabrication.

How Does a 3D Printer Work?

There are many different ways in which a 3D Printer works. I will only identify the printers

that are used to create medical applications.

A Bioprinter is the device that is used to create 3D organs and tissue. They can cost up to

$300,000. To begin the process a magnetic resonance image (MRI) or computed

tomography scan (CT) is required to

provide the exact dimensions of the

tissue or bodily function. It will require

minimal effort for the surgeon as the

tissue will fit perfectly. The next stage

of the process is to create a blueprint

on the object using computer aided

design software. The software will

create a very detailed file that when

sent to the printer will automatically

give instructions for where each type

of cell should be placed. This step is the most crucial to the process. The patients live

cells are mixed with a beneficial material. All the cells have different purposes. Scientists

also have the capability to encourage the cells to do certain things that will benefit the

patient.

The living cell material is unloaded in layers of half a millimetre or less but they can also

be unloaded through different nozzle sizes depending on what type of tissue you are

manufacturing. The material comes out equivalent to the consistency of toothpaste. The

next stage is to form the outline of the object by solidifying every layer before putting the

next layer over it.

To stable the layer it is important that you use an ultraviolet light as it works almost

immediately. Before the patient receives their 3D printed bodily function the tissue needs

to mature in a bioreactor which is similar to an incubator. This new invention will

revolutionise organ transplants.

The 3D printing technology named

Zip Dose is very similar to a

traditional 3D printer but it has the

capability to print any drug. The

first step of this process is to

spread a thin layer of powdered

medicine onto a base. A specially

developed liquid is then dropped

onto the powder that binds the

particles together into a thin layer.

This process continually repeats

itself until the specific dosage of medicine that is suited to the patient is correct. As soon

as the patient takes a sip of water with the pill it will instantly dissolve. The small pill has

the capability of delivering up to 1000 milligrams of the active ingredient. This new

technology will revolutionise our lives as we will be able to print exact dosages for the

patients and the pills will have a larger effect.

There are five common 3D printers that are used in dental technology which include

Selective Laser Sintering, Digital Light Projection, Jet 3D Printing, Stereolithography and

Direct Laser Metal Sintering. I will only identify Selective Laser Sintering which is the key

process.

To begin the process a Computer-Aided Design file is converted into a .stl format by a

specially developed software. The powder is heated by a high powered laser just below its

melting point. The laser is then directed to the platform to begin tracing sections of the

digitally designed object. Finally the powders sinter together to form a layer. The powder

bed is then lowered and a new layer of material is placed on top. The process then

repeats again until the object is complete.

How will 3D printing open up many more treatment options to the

public?

Patients will soon be able to receive the exact medicine dosages to the average micro-

organism. Patient’s drugs will be customized according to the patient's allergies and

health conditions. Pills will be more effective and will be easily taken as they will dissolve

in a patient's mouth and a gulp of water. The treatment will easily be accessed as

hospitals and pharmacies will no longer have to wait for medication deliveries from large

companies. Our prescription drugs will suddenly have a wider variety and 3D printed

drugs will slowly become more common.

Printing in 3D lets doctors and engineers unite to rebuild limbs that are inexpensive and

limbs especially manufactured for children's usage. With this new technology fake limbs

will no longer be expensive. The traditional limbs cost five thousand to seventy thousand

dollars whereas 3D printed limbs cost an average of two hundred dollars thus a wider

range of people will have access to this treatment option. Printing prosthetics will slowly

become more common and in the future we

may be able to print our own prosthetics at

home. This new treatment option is very

efficient as prosthetics can be printed in a

single day. This technology can now print

prosthetics that are having an impact on the

medical world and patients as they are lighter

and provide more comfort. There are also

many benefits for the children who receive this

3D printed prosthetic treatment. A common

fact is that children grow quickly so they often need a new limb. This treatment can often

be very expensive but with 3D printed limbs we can manufacture them to stretch and

expand as the child grows. This treatment will financially benefit many families with

children who are required to have a fake limb. The second part of 3D printed prosthetics is

the ability to 3D print missing facial parts. An example of this is people with one ear are

able to get their other ear through 3D printing. This will boost the patient's confidence and

they will feel better about themselves and their appearance.

In the past dental treatment has been very restricted but with this new technology a whole

dental world has been unlocked. Dentists now have the capability to use a 3D printer to

print a customised tooth in six and a half minutes to use as a replacement. Crown,

veneers and inlays are can also be manufactured using a 3D printer. This new treatment

is cost effective and can be done in a very short period of time but currently only 10% of

dental practices are using this technology.

Printers that print in 3D also have the capability to print dental crowns. For example,

dentists can print crowns which are a tooth shaped cap that is placed over a tooth.

Patients will no longer require temporary crowns and they are not needed to attend more

than a single dentist appointment. Mandibles that are

designed to help people who have lost part of their jaw

or mouth from cancer can now be 3D printed. A

reconstructed jaw can provide better materials for

implants and it is a solution to missing or broken teeth.

Another part of dental treatment is the usage of six-

second toothbrushes named Blizzident. They will

revolutionise teeth brushing. This 3D printed toothbrush

cleans every tooth in just six seconds. This new

technology looks similar to a mouth guard but it is lined

with hundreds of little bristles. The wearer puts this device into their mouth and as they

bite and chew on it all the bristles clean the teeth.

This new technology should last for approximately one year. Patients will benefit greatly

as they will have healthier teeth and gums as well as a reduced chance of diabetes and

heart diseases.

This new technology will revolutionise the way we live as this treatment will be cost

effective and easier as well as the dental industry adapting and changing its methods to

suit the modern world.

Failure of tissues or organs due to aging, injury, disease, accidents and birth rely very

heavily on organ transplants from other species, as well as both living and dead donors.

The problem is not everyone agrees with this treatment. There are many people who go

against organ transplants due to their ethical beliefs. This problem will disappear in the

future because of the new technology, a 3D printer that now has the capability to print

bodily functions using the patient's own cells.

There are currently 1,600 people on the waiting list for a bodily function in Australia alone.

An average of 21 people die each day because the organs they require are not donated in

time or they do not have the capability to be successful in a different human body. The

number of donors is decreasing worldwide every year. This problem has emerged

because it is difficult to find suitable donors. Usually in a death the person's bodily

functions immediately stop working and they cannot be revived. Some people may also

feel uncomfortable having an organ from a deceased or living person.

Xenotransplantation is also a current treatment to organ transplants. It is the process of

transplanting living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another. This treatment is

seen to be very successful for damaged bodily functions however there are a lot of health

risks and ethical perspectives that

need to be taken into account. One of

the health risks include animal viruses

passing into the human body. If the

virus is harmful we are putting the risk

of every human in society into great

danger. This transplant cannot always

be permanent putting the receiver in

danger. Many people are also

concerned for the welfare of the

animals whose organs are being

removed. Some biotechnology

companies breed different species but

with human genes so the bodily

function would have a reduced chance of rejection. This procedure is not always

beneficial to the animal.

For example pigs are most commonly used for heart valves and pig islets because they

can be bred in a clean environment reducing the risk of infections.

Printing in 3D will solve many problems that occur with the organ transplant treatment that

many people require. It will end the shortage of organs. There will also be a reduced risk

of any rejection of the organ or tissue as you would have the capability to use the patient’s

own cells. Many animals’ lives will also be saved as they will no longer be harmed or used

to our advantage. Organ transplants will be revolutionised using this new technology.

Who should take responsibility for ensuring that this technology is

spread fairly across the world?

There are massive benefits associated with this new technology. I will only introduce the

main points. Patients will receive more exact dosages that are more effective, 3D printers

will end the organ donation shortage and prosthetics will also be more comfortable, lighter

and inexpensive. The dental industry will also adapt to new methods of replacing teeth

and jaws. It will revolutionise our lives but who should take responsibility for ensuring that

this technology is spread fairly across the world?

The major concern with 3D printed medical applications is who will have access to the

objects. Not everyone will be able to afford it. Personalized printed medication is currently

very expensive. Only wealthy patients will have the capability to purchase the medication.

This will lead to poor people not receiving correct treatment or medication that is not as

effective. Functioning organs and tissues are

also very expensive and complex in modern

day. Similar to the printed medication only

wealthy people who are willing to pay the

price will get this treatment. Patients who are

not equipped with the large amount of money

to pay will be left on the organ transplant

waiting list depending on the funding and

coverage that the Affordable Care ACT may

provide. It is unlikely that this new treatment

will be added to the health care coverage

because it is more expensive than the traditional treatment. It will only divide the rich and

poor even more.

Medical 3D printers will have a very large impact on developing countries if they are given

the chance to use this new technology. Some 3D printed medical applications will be

inexpensive making it suitable for funding in developing countries. Some poor countries

have already printed basic implants, plates and other surgical implants.

Printing in 3D will improve healthcare and will increase access to surgery. It will make

supplies available, it will avoid cost and people will no longer have to wait for overseas

shipping. In the future some countries may be able to assemble printers from 3D printed

parts. This is why someone needs to take responsibility for ensuring that this technology is

spread fairly across the world.

Conclusion:

This report has explored and identified the key points associated with medical 3D printing.

The fact that we can now print organs and tissues, prosthetics, drugs and dental treatment

will ensure that the medical world is more efficient and effective. This technological

discovery will revolutionise the way we live. Hospitals will be able to print customised

drugs to suit the patients very needs. Our society will be healthier than what it has been in

the past. People will have cleaner and better quality teeth due to the 3D printer.

Prosthetics will become in inexpensive and will be especially manufactured for children’s’

usage much to the benefit of the child and will be financially better for the family. The

capability to print functioning body parts will solve many problems that we are occurring

with the shortage of organ donors or xenotransplantation. This is our future.

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