Applications of CAD/CAM Technology for Craniofacial Implants Placement and Manufacturing of Auricular Prostheses-Systematic Review.

This systematic review was aimed at gathering the clinical and technical applications of CAD/CAM technology for craniofacial implant placement and processing of auricular prostheses based on clinical cases. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, an electronic data search was performed. Human clinical studies utilizing digital planning, designing, and printing systems for craniofacial implant placement and processing of auricular prostheses for prosthetic rehabilitation of auricular defects were included. Following a data search, a total of 36 clinical human studies were included, which were digitally planned and executed through various virtual software to rehabilitate auricular defects. Preoperative data were collected mainly through computed tomography scans (CT scans) (55 cases); meanwhile, the most common laser scanners were the 3dMDface System (3dMD LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, USA) (6 cases) and the 3 Shape scanner (3 Shape, Copenhagen, Denmark) (6 cases). The most common digital design software are Mimics Software (Mimics Innovation Suite, Materialize, Leuven, Belgium) (18 cases), Freeform software (Freeform, NC, USA) (13 cases), and 3 Shape software (3 Shape, Copenhagen, Denmark) (12 cases). Surgical templates were designed and utilized in 35 cases to place 88 craniofacial implants in auricular defect areas. The most common craniofacial implants were Vistafix craniofacial implants (Entific Medical Systems, Goteborg, Sweden) in 22 cases. A surgical navigation system was used to place 20 craniofacial implants in the mastoid bone. Digital applications of CAD/CAM technology include, but are not limited to, study models, mirrored replicas of intact ears, molds, retentive attachments, customized implants, substructures, and silicone prostheses. The included studies demonstrated a predictable clinical outcome, reduced the patient's visits, and completed the prosthetic rehabilitation in reasonable time and at reasonable cost. However, equipment costs and trained technical staff were highlighted as possible limitations to the use of CAD/CAM systems.

Systematic Review of Clinical Applications of CAD/CAM Technology for Craniofacial Implants Placement and Manufacturing of Orbital Prostheses.

This systematic review was aimed at gathering technical and clinical applications of CAD/CAM technology for the preoperative planning of craniofacial implants placement, designing of molds and substructures and fabrication of orbital prostheses. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, an electronic search was executed. Human studies that utilized digital planning systems for the prosthetic rehabilitation of orbital defects were included. A total of 16 studies of 30 clinical cases, which were virtually planned through various digital planning and designing software, were included. The most common preoperative data required for digital planning were CT scans in 15 cases, the 3DSS-STD-II scanning system in 5 cases, an Artec Color 3D scanner in 3 cases and a NextEngine Desktop 3D laser scanner in 2 cases. Meanwhile, the digital designing software were Ease Orbital Implant Planning EOIPlan software in eight cases, Geomagic software in eight cases, Simplant software in four cases and Artec Studio 12 Professional in three cases. Surgical templates were fabricated for 12 cases to place 41 craniofacial implants in the orbital defect area. An image-guided surgical navigation system was utilized for the placement of five orbital implants in two cases. Digital designing and printing systems were reported for the preoperative planning of craniofacial implants placement, designing of molds and substructures and fabrication of orbital prostheses. The studies concluded that the digital planning, designing and fabrication of orbital prostheses reduce the clinical and laboratory times, reduces patient visits and provide a satisfactory outcome; however, technical skills and equipment costs are posing limitations on the use of these digital systems.

Systematic Review of Clinical Applications of CAD/CAM Technology for Craniofacial Implants Placement and Manufacturing of Nasal Prostheses.

The aim of this systematic review was to gather the clinical and laboratory applications of CAD/CAM technology for preoperative planning, designing of an attachment system, and manufacturing of nasal prostheses. According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, an electronic search was carried out. Only human clinical studies involving digital planning for the rehabilitation of facial defects were included. A total of 21 studies were included with 23 patients, which were virtually planned through different planning software. The most common preoperative data for digital planning were CT scans in nine cases, CBCT in six cases, and laser scans in six cases. The reported planning softwares were Mimics in six cases, Geomagic Studio software in six cases, ZBrush in four cases, and Freeform plus software in four cases. Ten surgical templates were designed and printed to place 36 implants after digital planning, while post-operative assessment was done in two cases to check the accuracy of planned implants. Digital 3D planning software was reported for presurgical planning and craniofacial implants placement, fabrication of molds, designing of implants, designing of retentive attachments, and printing of silicone prostheses. Digital technology has been claimed to reduce the clinical and laboratory time; however, the equipment cost is still one of the limitations.

Surface engineering of nanoporous substrate for solid oxide fuel cells with atomic layer-deposited electrolyte.

Solid oxide fuel cells with atomic layer-deposited thin film electrolytes supported on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) are electrochemically characterized with varying thickness of bottom electrode catalyst (BEC); BECs which are 0.5 and 4 times thicker than the size of AAO pores are tested. The thicker BEC ensures far more active mass transport on the BEC side and resultantly the thicker BEC cell generates ≈11 times higher peak power density than the thinner BEC cell at 500 °C.

Intermediate-Temperature Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells with a Gadolinium-Doped Ceria Anodic Functional Layer Deposited via Radio-Frequency Sputtering.

We investigated the effects of the insertion of a gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) anodic functional layer (AFL) on the electrochemical performance of intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Fully stabilized yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) was used as an oxygen-ion-conducting and support material. Nickel-Samaria-doped ceriathin film was used as an anode material, while screen-printed lanthanum strontium magnetite served as a cathode material. In order to enhance the interfacial reaction on the anode side, a GDC-AFL with a thickness of about 140 nm, deposited via radio-frequency sputtering, was inserted into the anode-electrolyte interface. SOFCs with and without a GDC-AFL were electrochemically characterized. In an intermediate temperature range of about 700 - 800 degrees C, the application of the GDC-AFL led to an increase in the peak power density of approximately 16%.