A Case of Ameloblastoma Removed Using a Three-dimensional Transparent Plastic Jaw Model Which Can Visualize Internal Jawbone Structures

Construction of three-dimensional (3D) models of various organs from CT images using 3D printers has recently become possible. In oral surgery, surgical simulation using a 3D printed jaw model is being widely used. With the conventional use of plaster for jaw modeling, the structures in the jawbone cannot be clearly visualized. Here, we report a case of a mandibular ameloblastoma extirpated using a 3D transparent plastic jaw model which can visualize the structures in the jawbone and assist in recognition of the anatomical position of a tumor. The patient was a 23-year-old woman who visited our hospital in 2016 with a complaint of swelling of the right mandible. Following the diagnosis of ameloblastoma, the tumor was removed. However, after 1 year and 7 months, tumor recurrence was suspected under the mandibular canal. Using a 3D jaw model for visualizing the inside of the jawbone, the tumor was removed with curettage of the surrounding tissue with minimal surgical invasion under general anesthesia. No recurrence has been observed 8 months post-surgery. Therefore, the use of the 3D jaw model facilitated recognition of the anatomical position of the tumor, which resulted in safe and reliable tumor removal.