Tennessee surgeons show use of 3D printing for maxillofacial reconstructions
EnvisionTEC Vector 3SP chosen as most reliable system for fast delivery
In Tennessee, oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Brooks, and his team of residents are using EnvisionTEC’s 3D printing solutions to create better treatment plans, implants and other life-changing devices for patients with birth defects, or recovering from disease or trauma.
With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Brooks has been leading the way with this progressive approach at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center utilizing an EnvisionTEC Vector 3SP to 3D print life-size biomodels and more.
“It has truthfully been a game-changer for us,” said Dr. Brooks, who also serves as US Director of Clinical Affairs of ACTEON North America and has appointments at four Memphis-area hospitals. “We needed something that could print fast, with easy cleanup and would be ready to go within a 24-hour period of time,” Brooks explained. “When selecting a printer, it was critical for us to make sure we didn’t have to calibrate or otherwise maintain the machine with any frequency,” he said. “The Vector is a really stable and reliable unit.”
EnvisionTEC 3SP technology uses a UV laser to rapidly scan, spin and selectively photocure (hence the “3SP” in the acronym) a wide variety of resins into large, durable parts up to 5,800 cubic inches. This family of 3D printers is for serious manufacturing use and have been used to build a wide range of manufacturing objects, from functional gears, valves and pumps to fasteners, jigs, fixtures or end effectors.
The EnvisionTEC Vector 3SP CMF solution is able to produce large parts up to 30,316 cubic cm (1850 cubic in.) with a resolution of 50.8 µm (0.002 in.). High detail parts with smooth surface finishes make it an ideal option for a wide variety of applications in presurgical modeling and reconstructions.
The systems are also being used for mass customized production in the dental industry, where they can guarantee high accuracy for accuracy and smooth surface finishes that minimize post-processing. Prices for these systems start at about $40,000.
