Abstract: PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of Mimics software combined with 3D printing and bone biopsy to guide the resection scope of mandibular malignant tumors. METHODS: Fifteen patients admitted to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College from January 2019 to April 2021 for oral malignancies and requiring mandibular osteotomy were selected. Preoperatively, CT data of the mandibles were taken to design and print the puncture guide using Mimics software and 3D printing technology, and the length of the osteotomy and the number of teeth lost were also measured. The resected mandible was then combined with the puncture guide and a percutaneous puncture needle to perform bone puncture at the appropriate site and sent for pathology. The mandibular gross specimen was decalcified and when decalcified, the mandibular gross was taken from the same loci, thus testing the accuracy of the bone puncture pathology relative to the gross decalcification pathology, comparing the actual osteotomy length with the simulated osteotomy length and comparing the actual number of missing teeth with the simulated number of missing teeth. SPSS 17.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Bone puncture pathology using 3D guides possessed consistent accuracy with gross decalcification pathology. Simulated osteotomy length was significantly less than actual osteotomy length(P<0.001). Simulated number of missing teeth was significantly less than actual number of missing teeth (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The use of Mimics software combined with bone puncture biopsy techniques to guide the extent of resection of malignant tumors in the mandible allows for more accurate mandibular osteotomy, thereby preserving more healthy bone and teeth.

Key words: Malignant tumor of the mandible, Surgical safety margin, 3D printing technology, Bone puncture biopsy technique