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Replacing Eyes, Nose, Ears and Fingers

Facial Anaplastologists Create Life-Like Silicone Ear Prosthesis Using Art and Mechanics

March 1, 2010

Facial anaplastologists created a realistic-looking silicone ear prosthesis that can easily be placed and removed with magnets embedded in the skull. A surgeon implants studs into the patient's temporal bone. And after three months, when the bone and implants are combined, the patient is fitted for a prosthesis. Anaplastologists shape and design the ear using digital imaging of the patient's good ear, reversing the data to create a mirror image, and then carve out that mirror image into a silicon prosthesis with a small milling machine . Magnets are placed in the mold to secure onto the implants. It is painted with silicone paint to look like a real ear.

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Science Insider

ABOUT MEDICAL ARTISTS: Artists are needed for a variety of medically-related applications. Illustrations for textbooks and pamphlets are important for doctors and patients alike. Artists learn considerable amounts about anatomy and physiology in order to specialize in medical topics. Specialties include illustration, animation, model-making, facial reconstruction, and even veterinary topics.

AN ADDITIONAL RECONSTRUCTIVE METHOD: Biomedical engineers developed a process to make it easier to create a custom nose shape for patients. It uses laser surface scanning to create more accurate shapes and a plastic prototype model. This allows doctors to construct an accurately shaped nose using skin and cartilage from other parts of the body.

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Artificial Ears

To Go Inside This Science:
Gregory Gion
608.833.7002
g.g.gion@sbcglobal.net
Medical Art Prosthetics, LLC


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