3D Printing in Healthcare

Abstract

3D printing has developed as a modification of an old injection printer. Today, it is rapidly expanding offering novel possibilities as well as new exciting applications for various sectors including healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and defense industries. This chapter presents key application areas within the healthcare sector. In medicine, 3D printing is revolutionizing the way operations are carried out, disrupting prosthesis and implant markets as well as dentistry. The relatively new field of bioprinting has come to be because of advances with this technology. As will be discussed, numerous applications of 3D printing in healthcare relate to personalized medicine. For instance, implants or prostheses are 3D printed for a specific user's body, optimizing the technology to work for an individual, not an average user as with most mass-produced products. In addition, 3D printing has applications on the nanoscale with printing of drugs and other smaller items. Hence, 3D printing represents a disruptive technology for healthcare delivery.