Custom-made implants for craniofacial reconstruction

The development of computer-aided design (CAD) technologies applied to biomaterials has allowed designing patient-specific implants perfectly adapted to the area to rebuild, and ensuring an easier, less invasive, and optimal reconstruction of the craniofacial skeleton. Custom-made implants, originally developed for the reconstruction of large cranial vault defects, were used to optimize cosmetic results, avoiding the morbidity related to donor site bone harvesting, or preventing frequent asymmetrical result due to per-operative biomaterial design. These implants thus proved very useful for facial skeleton reconstruction including for the orbital region. The preoperative computerized simulation made in collaboration with manufacturers allows optimizing reconstructions specifically for each patient. (c) 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.