Case Study: CCE Zaventem, Belgium achieves lifelike facial reconstruction and implant-ready prosthetics with Materialise

Anaplastology model presented by Jan De Cubber, CCE Zaventem, Belgium

CCE Zaventem, Belgium — led by veteran anaplastologist Jan De Cubber — faced a rare, severe facial defect after cancer surgery that removed the right eye, cheekbone and upper jaw, ruling out standard reconstructive options because of recurrence risk. They partnered with Materialise, using the vendor’s clinical engineering, surgical planning and 3D‑printing services (including a digitally designed titanium implant and magnetic positioning) to pursue a bespoke anaplastology solution.

Materialise reconstructed the missing bone by mirroring the healthy side, digitally designing and 3D‑printing a titanium support with magnetic implants and attachment points for dentures, then produced offset 3D guides to show exactly how much silicone to apply for the soft‑tissue prosthetic. This approach removed time‑consuming guesswork, improved planning accuracy and reproducibility, and yielded a highly realistic demo model demonstrating the technique’s impact — created by Materialise even though the patient’s cancer later returned and the clinical treatment could not be completed.