Digital prostheses

[Daril Atkins]

At all the recent conferences I attended recently (Anaplastology
Association- USA) I heard about the wonders of working in the digital
media to create a prototype (wax) from where one can proceed manually.
The results that were shown were really neat and impressive. My
impression was that this technology would throw open the doors to
those who did not have a sculpture background and will widen the
field for a lot of talent out there. My second impression was that a
greater degree of accuracy in the fitting will be possible.

But what puzzled me was that why stop at a wax prototype when it may
be possible to create an inverse model resulting in a mold. The part
to figure out would probably be the creation of a multi mold when
indicated. Perhaps the inversed multi mold could be output in a
transparent material which would assist intrinsic coloration.

The final goal would have to be the output of the final product in a
medical silicone polymer. All the above refers to the recent
technology of 3D printing which has made fantastic progress and can
even print in different colors in one product. The day is not far when
your output from a 3D printer may be possible with intrinsic
coloration (the color tones of which were also registered by a
photospectrometer)

Is anyone out there going along these or similar lines?

[acs]

Hi Daril-

Creating a multi-part mold in computer is not difficult. However, the
level of printable detail in RP materials is not equal to the detail
you can get using conventional moldmaking techniques. It's also still
relatively expensive.

Digital modeling for RP output can be used as a moldmaking method in
cases where a high level of surface detail is not necessary (ie,
breast prostheses.)

As you know, it's still useful in mirroring (ears, etc.) and planning
for implant-retained cases. I imagine as the technology continues to
develop, it will be continue to be incorporated in practice...I would
also be interested in hearing about other uses.

Andrea

[Daril Atkins]

True Andrea, resolution is yet not acceptable. However there seem to
be individuals working on that issue.
It is also true that the equipment and process are expensive, but so
were computers some time ago. There are two stops for us to get off
at: one is the prototype stage / the other is the final product
printed in the material of our choice. While in both stops, resolution
is yet not acceptable, in the second case we can look forward to a day
when this will be possible. We can wait for others to call the shots
or we can educate ourselves and contribute to the solution of the
above two issues. For the information of all our members, I would
suggest a site called 'FABBERS' which is an open site for all
developers of 3D printing systems. It certainly looks like the future
of our fabrication techniques lies with 3D printing. The implications
are enormous.

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[Daril Atkins]

Daril, if you see a future when Anaplastologists will be using digital
technology from the start to the finish of creating the prosthesis,
and if it seems as if the Medical Silicone polymers may not lend
themselves easily to the printing technique, then it also appears that
the time is around the corner for a material to replace the Medical
Silicone polymers. You yourself have been involved with Medical
Silicone polymers since the last forty years and if you look back you
see everyone happy with the status quo. But then that material lent
itself quite easily to our methodology. However if the methodology is
due to change then perhaps we need to look at the system afresh.

Tandigon

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