Combined use of 3D printing and computer-assisted navigation in the clinical treatment of multiple maxillofacial fractures

Objectives: Although computer-assisted navigation (CAN) has been widely used in the reconstruction of maxillofacial fractures, the direct guidance it provides for surgical operations and the handling of multiple maxillofacial fractures is insufficient due to the lack of a healthy side for reference. To address the above problems, a 3D-printed guide and head model was used in combination with CAN in this study. Materials: and Methods: In this process, 26 patients were randomly selected among those with multiple fractures treated from 09/2017 to 03/2021. They were randomly divided into the experimental and control groups, with 3D-printed guides and models used in the former group. The surgical time was compared between the groups, and posttreatment computed tomography and follow-up visits were conducted at 1 week and 3 months, respectively, to compare the quality of treatment in terms of infection, occlusal disorder, restricted mouth opening, midline displacement, and bilateral asymmetry. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used for assessment. Results: : According to our results, the therapeutic effect was excellent for 12 patients and satisfactory for 1 patient among the 13 patients in the experimental group, while the therapeutic effect was excellent in only 7, satisfactory in 3, and unsatisfactory in 3 patients in the control group. Conclusions: : According to our analysis, the combined use of CAN and 3D printing significantly improved the treatment results of double-sided maxillofacial fractures (r s =0.448, P<0.05). The surgical time of the experimental group was significantly shorter than that of the control group (Z=-2.083, P<0.05). Clinical Relevance: This study broadens our understanding of the treatment of multiple maxillofacial fractures. The combined use of 3D printing technology and CAN effectively shortened the operation time and achieved a better therapeutic effect.