Objective: To review recent advance in the research and application of computer aided forming techniques for constructing bone tissue engineering scaffolds.
Methods: The literature concerning computer aided forming techniques for constructing bone tissue engineering scaffolds in recent years was reviewed extensively and summarized.
Results: Several studies over last decade have focused on computer aided forming techniques for bone scaffold construction using various scaffold materials, which is based on computer aided design (CAD) and bone scaffold rapid prototyping (RP). CAD include medical CAD, STL, and reverse design. Reverse design can fully simulate normal bone tissue and could be very useful for the CAD. RP techniques include fused deposition modeling, three dimensional printing, selected laser sintering, three dimensional bioplotting, and low-temperature deposition manufacturing. These techniques provide a new way to construct bone tissue engineering scaffolds with complex internal structures.
Conclusion: With rapid development of molding and forming techniques, computer aided forming techniques are expected to provide ideal bone tissue engineering scaffolds.