A CAD/CAM system for fabrication of facial prostheses

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a computer‐aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system for fabricating facial prostheses. Design/methodology/approach The CAD/CAM system can be used for fabricating custom‐made facial prostheses with symmetrical or asymmetrical features. This system integrates non‐contact structured light scanning, reverse engineering and rapid prototyping manufacturing technology. Fringe projection based on the combination of the phase‐shift and grey‐code methods is used for data collection. A robust approach is proposed to calculate the mid‐plane of the human face without any knowledge of the centroid position or the principal axis in data processing. Findings Results show that the proposed method increases the fabrication accuracy and reduces the operating time. Patients were satisfied with the rehabilitation results as the custom‐made facial prostheses fitted them well. Practical implications This study improves the fabrication accuracy of facial prostheses. Three‐dimensional data of the facial surface of a patient needing a facial prosthesis were obtained with almost no harm to his body; after a series of robust processes, a precise and suitable aesthetic facial prosthesis was fabricated. Originality/value This system has bright prospects for clinical application because of its advantages over other methods in terms of speed, accuracy, safety, cost, etc.