Professor Bang Seok-ho's research team from the Department of Chemical Engineering/Polymer Science and Engineering announced that they had published a comprehensive review paper on the clinical applicability of zirconia-based 3D printing technology together with Professor Yoo Tae-kyung of Kyunghee University and Dr. Jang Gyeong-jun of 3D Controls.
The existing method of making artificial prosthetics to replace damaged bones or teeth mainly involved carving out lump-shaped materials. However, this method resulted in significant material loss and had limitations in creating complex three-dimensional structures that differed from patient to patient precisely without error. The research team focused on ‘zirconia-based 3D printing’ technology as a key alternative to solving these problems. Zirconia is a representative medical ceramic material that has excellent impact resistance and is harmless to the human body.
The joint research team systematically summarized the advantages of 3D printing technology, which uses zirconia to precisely print customized structures that fit the patient's body. In particular, we presented a practical process solution to reduce light scattering when 3D printing with ceramic materials or microscopic defects that occur in the process of forming by applying heat. In addition, cutting-edge three-dimensional structural design techniques that combine well with bone tissue and evenly distribute applied force were analyzed from various angles.
The research team emphasized that standardization of the process, securing consistent quality of the product, and verification of durability during long-term use are essential in order to go beyond laboratory-level research and use it safely for patient treatment in actual hospitals. This research is evaluated as a study that clearly connects basic ceramic engineering principles to the application of cutting-edge medical equipment in a single flow.
Professor Seok-ho Bang said, “This study comprehensively presents the possibility of manufacturing patient-tailored medical devices through zirconia 3D printing,” and added, “We expect that it will contribute to accelerating the commercialization of high-quality artificial prosthetics that can be used in actual clinical settings by establishing standardization standards from material control to process optimization.”
Meanwhile, in this multi-institutional joint research, Donghyun Lee, a postdoctoral researcher at our university, and Hyein Lee, a doctoral student at Kyung Hee University, participated as co-first authors, and Dr. Gyeongjun Jang of 3D Controls Co., Ltd., Professor Taekyung Yoo of Kyung Hee University, and Professor Seokho Bang of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Engineering were named as co-corresponding authors. The research results were published in ‘Chemical Reviews (IF: 64.2),’ the most prestigious academic journal in the field of chemistry, which ranks in the top 0.2% of Journal Citation Reports (JCR).
※ Paper title: Development and Prospects of Zirconia 3D Printing for Artificial Prosthesis Applications
※ Academic journal: Chemical Reviews
※ Paper link: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.5c00650
Source: https://www.spressnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=138630