This week in technology: FDA approves first 3-D printed skull bone replacement implant

The FDA has approved the use of a 3-D-printed skull bone replacement implant called the OsteoFab Patient-Specific Facial Device (OPSFD), created by Oxford Performance Materials. The implant is made of hard plastic similar to bone, which mimics the facial bone that is missing in shape and function. This implant could be of incredible help to those involved in injuries whose cheek bones are shattered beyond repair. The implant could retore the look and function prior to the injury. The company was also the first to obtain FDA approval for a similar implant for the cranium. If all goes according to plan, hospitals might soon end up with 3-D printers next to their X-ray machines.ADDITIONAL READING |Looking to a time when decayed teeth repair themselvesRead more here.