Many handicapped animals as well as humans are able to live happier and more fulfilling lives thanks to the cost-efficient process of 3D printing . One such animal—Boris the Tortoise, from Colorado—recently received a prosthetic jaw after being attacked by a tortoise nearly thirty times his size.
Blinded Ambition
Right before Amanda, Boris’ owner, left on her honeymoon, she found her pet Boris the Tortoise—only 3 pounds at the time—being attacked by a 90 pound tortoise, eventually leaving him blinded, and missing a good chunk of his jaw. Upon returning home after two weeks, Amanda expected to find him gone, but instead found Boris still hanging in there—though missing most of his upper jaw, and his sight in both eyes.
A Jaw-Dropping Recovery
Amanda immediately brought Boris to the Broomfield Veterinary Hospital , where the doctors nursed him back to health. The veterinarians then called their friends at The 3D Printing Store in Denver, as they were familiar with the shop’s history of printing prosthetics that greatly improve the lives of both animals and humans (check out the prosthetic feet they made for Foghorn the Rooster , and the synthetic shell they made for Fred the Tortoise ).
After being fitted over 20 times to get just the right shape for Boris’ upper jaw, the 3D Printing Store finally got the dimensions perfect, creating a fully-functional upper jaw. The shape was then sent to a jewellers, where it was cast in silver in order to maximize its durability and functionality.
3D Printing Is The Future
Time has shown that the potential uses of 3D printing are endless. Able to print 3D objects of virtually any geometric shape with a wide variety of materials , 3D printing is able to produce far more than simple household objects, including prosthetic limbs , and even simple organs –products that would prove extremely expensive if made by conventional means. The ease and cost-efficiency in which 3D printing is able to produce the materials needed for complicated projects makes the final cost of these products a fraction of the standard price.
