ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Head and Neck Cancer
This article is part of the Research TopicThe Application of 3D Printing Technologies in Head and Neck Cancer SurgeryView all 5 articles
Virtual reality and 3D printing in head and neck cancer: an educational experience
Provisionally accepted
Fabrizio Ferretti1*
Francesca Nonis2Andrea Novaresio2Enrica Panico1Emanuele Zavattero1Claudia Borbon1Sandro Moos2Massimo Fasolis1
GUGLIELMO RAMIERI1- 1Universita degli Studi di Torino Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, Turin, Italy
- 2Politecnico di Torino Dipartimento di Ingegneria Gestionale e della Produzione, Turin, Italy
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Background: In recent years, the growing adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D printing technologies has revolutionized surgical training by providing innovative opportunities for hands-on education. This study investigates the combined use of VR and 3D printed personalized anatomical models and cutting guides within the field of oral and maxillofacial oncologic surgery. Materials and methods: A mandibular tumour case was developed using the proposed approach, integrating both virtual and physical tools. Feedback was gathered from twelve surgical residents regarding their understanding of the case, the effectiveness of the immersive and three-dimensional technologies, and their overall satisfaction with the training experience. Results: Participants reported enhanced comprehension of complex surgical scenarios and valued the practical utility of the VR simulator combined with 3D printed models. The immersive environment facilitated skill acquisition in a risk-free setting. Conclusion: The findings underscore the significant added value of integrating VR and 3D printing technologies in surgical training, preparation, and simulation. This approach offers a safe, effective training platform that improves readiness for complex procedures in oncologic surgery and has the potential to be extended to other branches of maxillofacial surgery.
Keywords: maxillofacial surgery, virtual reality, three-dimensional printing, Mandibular reconstruction, Fibula free flap, surgical education, user-centered design
Received: 30 Aug 2025; Accepted: 12 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Ferretti, Nonis, Novaresio, Panico, Zavattero, Borbon, Moos, Fasolis and RAMIERI. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Fabrizio Ferretti
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.