A UK man who suffered severe facial damage in a motorcycle accident has had his appearance restored in a cutting-edge reconstructive procedure with 3D printing technology.

Twenty-nine-year-old Stephen Power from Cardiff, Wales told AFP that the results were “totally life changing.” "I could see the difference straight away the day I woke up," he said. "I'm hoping I won't have to disguise myself — I won't have to hide away. I'll be able to do day-to-day things, go and see people, walk in the street, even go to any public areas.”

The procedure, which was performed at Morrison Hospital in Swansea, is described by the medical team as the first of its kind. First, surgeons used a CT scan to develop a digital model of Power’s skull. They then used a 3D printer to create the parts needed to restore symmetry to his face.

Dr. Adrian Sugar, a maxillofacial surgeon who led the procedure, said that the printing technology allowed the team to achieve an unprecedented level of accuracy and detail. "Without this advanced technology, it's freehand. You have to guess where everything goes," he explained. "The technology allows us to be far more precise and get a better result for the patient."

The reconstructive procedure was first announced last year as a collaborative effort between Morrison and the Centre for Applied Reconstructive Technologies in Surgery —a leading developer of innovative prosthetics and reconstruction methods. Power’s transformation is currently featured at the London Science Museum as part of the exhibition “3D: Printing the Future.”

)