Low-cost fabrication methodology for palatal obturator prostheses
Low-cost 3D printing for accessible patient-specific palatal prostheses
Low-Cost Palatal Obturator Prostheses
Accessible patient-specific palatal obturator prostheses through parametric design and low-cost 3D printing
Research collaboration
- 📅 · Period:
Jun 2020 – Jul 2021 💰 · Collaboration:
Research collaboration, Dental School, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University.🏛 · Main facility:
Politecnico di Milano, Italy🤝 · Partners:
1 academic/industrial institution, Italy⭐ · My Role:
Research Fellow and MSc thesis co-supervisor🏫 · My Affiliation:
Research Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano (Italy)🏷️ · Keywords:
Assistive technology, Customization, indirect 3D printing, Additive manufacturing, Parametric design, Silicone casting, Design for Additive Manufacturing, Maxillofacial external prosthesis.
Overview
Low-cost fabrication methodology for palatal obturator prostheses is a research collaboration between +Lab, Politecnico di Milano, and the Dental School, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. The project explored the use of low-cost Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing and indirect fabrication techniques to produce patient-specific palatal obturator prostheses (maxillofacial devices used to restore function following palate resection) starting from DICOM medical imaging files. The methodology combines parametric design, indirect 3D printing, and silicone casting to generate customized prostheses in cases where conventional acquisition methods or fabrication cannot be used, for instance, for patients with limited oral cavity opening. 1
Romani A*, Paternoster L, Gastaldi G, Levi M (2022) Patient-specific palatal obturator prosthesis from DICOM files through low-cost 3D printing: a case study. Materials Today: Proceedings, 70, 106–112. DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2022.08.553
Project partners
+LAB, Politecnico di Milano (IT) 🇮🇹
Dental School, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (IT) 🇮🇹
Team members
+LAB Team: Marinella Levi, Alessia Romani
San Raffaele Team: Giorgio Gastaldi, Luisa Paternoster
💡
My contribution:
- Methodology development: Developed the fabrication methodology combining parametric design, mesh sculpting, indirect 3D printing, and silicone casting for the production of patient-specific palatal obturator prostheses from DICOM files.
- Product design: Design of the palatal obturator and its corresponding mold starting from the DICOM file and considering the fabrication method (silicone casting in FFF 3D-printed molds), reducing material use and improving adaptation for reduced oral mobility.
- Additive manufacturing: Designed and fabricated prosthesis prototypes and casting molds using low-cost Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing; managed silicone casting for the final prosthesis, including maxillofacial-grade silicone.
- Thesis co-supervision: Co-supervised one MSc thesis focused on the preliminary study of the case and validation of the clinical workflow at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in collaboration with +LAB.
- Dissemination: Publications and conference presentations.
Research and dissemination output connected to my work
- 📚 Publications: 1 Journal Article
- 📚 Supervised work: 1 Co-supervised MSc Thesis
- 🎤 Presentations: Work presented at academic conferences and industrial events, including The International Conference on Additive Manufacturing for a Better World (AMBW 2022) (Online, 2022)
- 📢 Dissemination & outreach: Work featured in news.
Selected dissemination and media outreach
Marinella Levi, the professor who rethinks health starting from 3D printing (Marinella Levi, la professoressa che ripensa la salute partendo dalla stampa 3D)
Startup Italia (Sep 2021) - Italian edition
Publications from the project
Journal Articles
- Romani A*, Paternoster L, Gastaldi G, Levi M (2022) IPatient-specific palatal obturator prosthesis from DICOM files through low-cost 3D printing: A case study. Materials Today: Proceedings, 70, 106-112. DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2022.08.553
Supervised work
Master thesis
- Paternoster L (2021) Post-surgical oncological obturator prosthesis in patients with reduced oral opening: de scription of an innovative technique. M.Sc. Thesis in Dentistry and Dental Implantology, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele. Link: hsr.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com • Supervisor: Gastaldi G. Co-supervisors: Levi M, Romani A.