Advancements in Facial Reconstruction Surgery: The Role of Bioengineered Materials, Artificial Intelligence, and 3D...

The advancement of science and technology is an undeniable phenomenon that is progressively transforming all aspects of human life, including scientific, social, humanitarian, and environmental fields, among others. Facial reconstruction surgery has recently gained much attention owing to the incorporation of new technologies, such as bioprinting, regenerative medicine (RM), and artificial intelligence (AI) in surgery. These advancements have led to more innovative, site-specific, and optimal methods of addressing the challenges of facial reconstruction following trauma, congenital malformations, and oncological resections. However, this progress is not available in many underprivileged parts of the world, and it is significantly limited to certain populations with high economic resources. This review is designed to offer a thorough evaluation of the state of the art in facial reconstruction surgery, with regard to the deployment of bioengineered materials, AI-based surgical planning, and three-dimensional (3D) printing. It also analyzes how the most advanced techniques in facial reconstructive surgery are being implemented for the benefit of the population and how this implementation is affected by the economic disparities of each society. Facial reconstruction surgery is rapidly changing, and technology is playing a key role in this change. Nevertheless, innovation alone is not enough. For this, the effectiveness of innovation has to be combined with the best practices of implementation, which requires a multidisciplinary effort between clinicians, researchers, and policymakers, to ensure the safety, accessibility, and ethical integrity of advancements. The success of facial reconstruction surgery cannot be attributed to technological sophistication alone, but also to the frequency of improvement in the quality of life.