Simplifying the digital workflow of facial prostheses manufacturing using a three-dimensional (3D) database: setup, development, and aspects of virtual data validation for reproduction

Alexey Unkovskiy; Ariadne Roehler; Fabian Huettig; Juergen Geis-Gerstorfer; Joern Brom; Constanze Keutel; Sebastian Spintzyk

doi:10.1016/j.jpor.2019.01.004

Simplifying the digital workflow of facial prostheses manufacturing using a three-dimensional (3D) database: setup, development, and aspects of virtual data validation for reproduction

J Prosthodont Res. 2019 Jul;63(3):313-320. doi: 10.1016/j.jpor.2019.01.004. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Authors

Alexey Unkovskiy¹, Ariadne Roehler², Fabian Huettig³, Juergen Geis-Gerstorfer², Joern Brom⁴, Constanze Keutel⁵, Sebastian Spintzyk²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Prosthodontics at the Centre of Dentistry, Oral Medicine, and Maxillofacial Surgery with Dental School, Tuebingen University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany; Department of Dental Surgery, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia. Electronic address: Alexey.Unkovskiy@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
² Section Medical Materials and Science, Tuebingen University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany.
³ Department of Prosthodontics at the Centre of Dentistry, Oral Medicine, and Maxillofacial Surgery with Dental School, Tuebingen University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany.
⁴ Brom Epithetik, Heidelberg, Germany.
⁵ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Head of Radiology Department at the Centre of Dentistry, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Surgery with Dental School, Tuebingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.

PMID: 30792148
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpor.2019.01.004

Abstract

Purpose: To set up the digital database (DDB) of various anatomical parts, skin details and retention elements in order to simplify the digital workflow of facial prostheses manufacturing; and to quantify the reproduction of skin wrinkles on the prostheses prototypes with stereolithography (SLA) and direct light processing (DLP) methods.

Methods: Two structured light scanners were used to obtain the nasal and auricle forms of 50 probands. Furthermore, the ala nasi and scapha areas were captured with the digital single lens reflex camera and saved in jpeg format. The four magnetic retention elements were remodeled in computer aided design (CAD) software. The 14 test blocks with embossed wrinkles of 0.05-0.8mm were printed with SLA and DLP methods and afterwards analyzed by means of profilometry and confocal microscopy.

Results: The introduced DDB allows for production of customized facial prosthesis and makes it possible to consider the integration of concrete retention elements on the CAD stage, which makes the prosthesis modelling more predictable and efficient. The obtained skin structures can be applied onto the prosthesis surface for customization. The reproduction of wrinkles from 0.1 to 0.8mm in depth may be associated with the loss of 4.5%-11% of its profile with SLA or DLP respectively. Besides, the reproduction of 0.05mm wrinkles may be met with up to 40% profile increasement.

Conclusions: The utilization of DDB may simplify the digital workflow of facial prostheses manufacturing. The transfer of digitally applied skin wrinkles till the prostheses' prototypes may be associated with deviations from 11 to 40%.

Keywords: Additive manufacturing; Anaplastology; Auricular prostheses; Nasal prostheses; Silicone prostheses.

MeSH terms

Computer-Aided Design
Imaging, Three-Dimensional*
Printing, Three-Dimensional
Prostheses and Implants
Prosthesis Design
Workflow*