The cheap, customizable technology of 3-D printing may revolutionize how prosthetics are made. 3-D printers create prosthetics with computer–generated models. Using melted plastic, the printers build prosthetics one layer at a time, matching the dimensions of each layer to the computer model.
This process cuts the cost of manufacturing from thousands of dollars to hundreds, which is especially beneficial to children, who tend to quickly outgrow prosthetics. Also, because computer modeling is more precise than other types of modeling, it makes manufacturing difficult objects like cranial implants more safe and cost-effective.
Read more about the potential of 3-D printing here.