Research progress of 3D printed poly (ether ether ketone) in the reconstruction of craniomaxillofacial bone defects

Qiao Su; Yixin Qiao; Yile Xiao; Shuhao Yang; Haoming Wu; Jianan Li; Xinlong He; Xulin Hu; Hui Yang; Xin Yong

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2023.1259696

Research progress of 3D printed poly (ether ether ketone) in the reconstruction of craniomaxillofacial bone defects

Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2023 Aug 16:11:1259696. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1259696. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Qiao Su^{1

2

3}, Yixin Qiao⁴, Yile Xiao⁵, Shuhao Yang⁶, Haoming Wu⁶, Jianan Li⁷, Xinlong He⁷, Xulin Hu^{6

7}, Hui Yang², Xin Yong¹

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Paediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases and West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
³ West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁴ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁵ Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁶ Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
⁷ State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Abstract

The clinical challenge of bone defects in the craniomaxillofacial region, which can lead to significant physiological dysfunction and psychological distress, persists due to the complex and unique anatomy of craniomaxillofacial bones. These critical-sized defects require the use of bone grafts or substitutes for effective reconstruction. However, current biomaterials and methods have specific limitations in meeting the clinical demands for structural reinforcement, mechanical support, exceptional biological performance, and aesthetically pleasing reconstruction of the facial structure. These drawbacks have led to a growing need for novel materials and technologies. The growing development of 3D printing can offer significant advantages to address these issues, as demonstrated by the fabrication of patient-specific bioactive constructs with controlled structural design for complex bone defects in medical applications using this technology. Poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK), among a number of materials used, is gaining recognition as a feasible substitute for a customized structure that closely resembles natural bone. It has proven to be an excellent, conformable, and 3D-printable material with the potential to replace traditional autografts and titanium implants. However, its biological inertness poses certain limitations. Therefore, this review summarizes the distinctive features of craniomaxillofacial bones and current methods for bone reconstruction, and then focuses on the increasingly applied 3D printed PEEK constructs in this field and an update on the advanced modifications for improved mechanical properties, biological performance, and antibacterial capacity. Exploring the potential of 3D printed PEEK is expected to lead to more cost-effective, biocompatible, and personalized treatment of craniomaxillofacial bone defects in clinical applications.

Keywords: 3D printing; bone reconstruction; craniomaxillofacial bone defect; modification technology; polyetheretherketone.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and publication of this article. This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province (23NSFSC5880); the Chengdu Medical Research Project (2022004); the Natural Science Foundation of Clinical Medical College and Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University (Y202206); and the Natural Science Foundation of China (32200559).