Case Study: Center for Maxillofacial Rehabilitation ORIS achieves precise, expedited custom maxillofacial implants with 3D Systems' Geomagic Wrap

Brazilian Maxillofacial Researchers Use 3D Reverse Engineering to Assist Surgery

3D Systems partnered with Brazilian maxillofacial surgeons at the Center for Maxillofacial Rehabilitation (ORIS) to apply 3D reverse engineering and rapid prototyping to complex facial reconstructions. The team’s challenge was that CT-derived mathematical models produced enormous, unwieldy STL files that CAD programs couldn’t handle, forcing a slow, manual, trial-and-error implant-design process and delaying treatment for patients like Carlos Roberto Sales.

By using Geomagic Wrap to automatically reduce and optimize polygonal data without losing surface fidelity, surgeons could manipulate large models directly, speed CAD workflows, and produce accurate rapid-prototyped implants. The outcome was faster, more precise implant planning and successful surgeries that restored patients’ function and appearance, streamlined future cases, and enabled exploration of lighter polymer implant materials.