Infographic: 3D Printing in the Medical Sector
No two patients are alike, and 3D printing makes it possible to design medical solutions around each one. Some of these applications, like dental crowns and custom implants, are already routine in clinics. Others, such as ocular prostheses and bioprinted tracheas, are heading toward clinical trials. And the ultimate goal, printing fully functional organs, is still a research challenge, but one that’s advancing fast.
Explore our interactive infographic to see where each medical application stands today, the key figures behind it, and the milestones that got it there. And if you want more medical additive manufacturing updates, be sure to attend ADDITIV Medical this Wednesday, October 21st. Learn more and register here.
How is the technology developing in the medical field?
Dentistry
Dental labs were among the first to make 3D printing part of daily work, with the production of crowns, bridges, surgical guides and aligner molds.
Implants
Custom implants are created using various 3D printing techniques based on the patient’s needs.
Medical devices
Practitioners can use measurements from body scans to create 3D models of medical equipment customized for each patient.
Bioprinting
Similar to inkjet printing, bioprinting involves mixing hydrogel and human cells. After being printed, the individual cells grow together to form living tissue.
Medications
3D printing makes it possible to create medications with customized shapes, sizes, and even flavors, which is especially helpful for children or older adults who have difficulty swallowing.
Surgical planning
Surgeons can plan operations on 3D-printed models of a patient’s anatomy, and use custom guides to position incisions and drill holes precisely. This often shortens operating time and can improve outcomes.
3D printing from head to toe
Hair
In the lab
Bioprinting a hair follicle, the small organ that grows a hair, is still a research goal.
2023
Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute succeed in printing hair follicles on human skin tissue grown in a laboratory.
Skull
Used on patients
Cranial implants are designed based on the patient’s CT scan and are manufactured from biocompatible materials.
2013
The FDA clears OsteoFab, a patient-specific skull implant printed in PEKK polymer by Oxford Performance Materials.
Eyes
Reached clinical trials
From corrective eyeglasses to 3D-printed corneas, there are numerous ophthalmological applications.
2021
Steve Verze is the first patient fitted with a fully digital, 3D printed prosthetic eye, in a clinical trial at Moorfields, in the United Kingdom.
Ear
Reached clinical trials
This technology can create living tissue grafts and fabricate ear prostheses tailored to the patient’s anatomy.
2026
Researchers at ETH Zurich succeeded in creating elastic ear cartilage from human cells grown in a laboratory.
Teeth
Used on patients
Every day, dental labs print crowns, bridges, surgical guides, and molds for clear aligners.
2023
The FDA approves the Invisalign palatal expander, a 3D-printed orthodontic appliance that requires no mold.
Jaw
Used on patients
3D printing is widely used in oral and maxillofacial surgery to create custom jaw models, surgical cutting guides, and implants.
2025
Australian researchers use custom-made, 3D-printed scaffolds to reconstruct a patient’s jaw.
Trachea
Reached clinical trials
3D printing applications for the trachea range from clinical implants to surgical training models and regenerative grafts.
2023
Seoul St Mary’s Hospital performs the first transplant of a 3D bioprinted windpipe. It was made public in March 2024.
Heart
In the lab
Researchers are still working on 3D printing a functional heart. So far, they have managed to print heart tissue with its own blood vessels.
2019
Tel Aviv University prints the first vascularized engineered heart from a patient’s own cells, as a small research model.
Organs
In the lab
Multiple bioprinting projects are currently in the development phase, ranging from a heart to a liver and a kidney.
2026
Researchers at the University of Notre Dame 3D printed blood capillary networks, taking a step toward the creation of artificial organs.
Medications
Used on patients
Since the tablet is built layer by layer, its structure can be modified to dissolve quickly or release the drug gradually.
2015
The FDA approves Spritam by Aprecia, the first 3D printed drug. In 2025 Triastek’s printed T20G tablet was cleared for US clinical trials.
Skin
In the lab
Many industries, like the cosmetics sector, conduct clinical trials using bioprinted skin tissue.
2023
Poietis and partners publish animal results for Poieskin, a large bioprinted skin substitute.
Hip and spine
Used on patients
Hip sockets can be 3D printed from porous titanium so that bone can grow into them.
2007
LimaCorporate starts selling its Delta-TT hip cup, printed in titanium with electron beam melting. It was one of the first printed implants on the market.
Hand prostheses
Used on patients
A prosthetic hand can be designed based on the patient’s measurements and custom-printed.
Splints and orthoses
Used on patients
Using a 3D scan of the limb, practitioners can print a splint or orthosis tailored to the patient.
Key Medical 3D Printing Facts
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1993 to 2026
Timeline
Drag the marker or use the arrows to explore the milestones of 3D printing in medicine.
PHIDIAS, a European project involving Materialise and the University of Leuven, gets underway; it prints the first accurate anatomical models based on medical scans and tests them with surgeons.
Sonova (Phonak) begins digitally manufacturing custom-fit, in-the-ear hearing aid shells.
The FDA clears Osteopore’s 3D printed PCL scaffold for skull defects.
LimaCorporate starts selling Delta-TT titanium hip cups, printed via electron beam melting.
LayerWise creates a 3D printed titanium jawbone, implanted in an 83-year-old woman.
Doctors in Michigan report a 3D printed splint that keeps a baby’s airway open and dissolves over time.
The FDA approves Spritam, the first 3D printed drug.
Northwestern University’s 3D printed ovaries restore fertility in mice.
First 3D printed heart made from human tissue, a small model, at Tel Aviv University.
Steve Verze becomes the first patient to receive a 3D-printed prosthetic eye created through a fully digital process, as part of a clinical trial at Moorfields Hospital in the UK.
The first patient receives AuriNovo, a bioprinted ear made of living tissue, as part of a clinical trial.
Seoul St Mary’s Hospital transplants the first 3D bioprinted windpipe.
Align Technology buys Cubicure to print orthodontic appliances directly.
Australian researchers use custom-made, 3D-printed scaffolds to reconstruct a patient’s jaw.
Researchers at ETH Zurich succeed in creating elastic ear cartilage from human cells grown in a laboratory.
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