Woman, 83, Has World’s First Lower Jaw Replacement – In 3D [abc.com] In what has been called the first operation of its kind, an 83-year-old woman in the Netherlands has been fitted with a custom-made artificial jaw that was created by a 3D printer. The titanium implant, which weighs less than 4 ounces, was created by taking a CT scan of the woman’s lower jaw and duplicating it with a 3D printer that lays down titanium powder instead of ink. The printer followed the pattern of the woman’s jaw bone layer by layer, fusing the titanium powder in place with heat. In just a couple hours, the 3D replica was ready.
posted by Fizz on Feb 7, 2012 - 43 comments

You know how the exomorphs in Alien had a second jaw that reached out and bit you while they were biting you with their regular jaws? Moray eels have that. Just thought you should know. [more inside]
posted by agentofselection on Feb 22, 2008 - 80 comments