A Gift That Heals: 3D Printer Donation Accelerates Recovery for Patients with Burns

At Shriners Children’s Texas, caring for children with facial burns means addressing far more than visible injuries. It means restoring function and confidence during a long and often challenging recovery. A newly-replaced, in‑house 3D printer is now helping the burn rehabilitation team do just that, by delivering critical treatment sooner and providing better outcomes for patients.

One of the most important tools in facial burn recovery is the transparent facial orthosis (TFO), a clear, custom-fitted mask that applies gentle, consistent pressure to skin that is healing from burn injuries. This pressure helps manage scarring, protect facial movement and preserve everyday functions such as eating, facial expression and closing the eyes or mouth.

Timing is essential. During the early stages of healing, scars can quickly become raised and tight, making early intervention critical. With the ability to fabricate high-quality TFO molds in-house using 3D printing technology, clinicians can now begin treatment much earlier during a patient’s hospital stay rather than waiting days or even weeks for an outsourced facial mold to arrive.

“The biggest difference between outsourcing TFOs and having a printer on site is time,” said Chris Whitehead, PT, physical therapist at Shriners Children’s Texas. “If scars tighten too much, they can interfere with how the face moves and works. Getting pressure on is really important for burns. It flattens them out, it helps them mature. With this printer, we’ve been able to put pressure and masks on our kids so much sooner. One of our recent patients had a mask on before she left our intensive care unit, which we haven’t been able to do in years.”

It’s also a money-saver for the hospital. “Outsourcing a foam mold used to cost about $500. Doing it in‑house costs around $100, sometimes less. We’re saving about $400 every time we make one,” Whitehead said.

The process begins with a quick, non-invasive 3D scan of the child’s face, creating a detailed digital image. The care team then fine-tunes the image on a computer before using the 3D printer to create a physical mold. That mold can be adjusted by hand to ensure pressure is applied precisely where it’s needed. A clear, high-temperature thermoplastic material is then shaped over the mold to form the final mask, with carefully trimmed openings for the eyes, nose and mouth.

Because the masks are transparent, therapists can clearly see the scarring underneath and assess how well pressure is being applied. Scar rating scales are used to track progress over time, helping clinicians adjust care as healing continues.

Facial burn recovery is not a one-time process. Patients typically wear their TFO throughout scar maturation, which often lasts one to two years. As swelling decreases, scars soften or children grow, masks often require adjustments or completely new ones. Producing TFOs in-house allows the care team to respond quickly to these changes, providing new or modified masks without interrupting the healing process.

“Our faces play a huge role in how we see ourselves,” Whitehead said. “Facial burns can have devastating physical and emotional effects, especially for kids and teenagers. By reducing scarring and supporting facial function, we’re also helping patients feel more confident as they return to school, activities and daily life.”

The new 3D printer was made possible through a generous personal donation from Liz Trader, Queen of the Tabeel Temple, Daughters of the Nile. The donation replaced a previous printer that was damaged by water last year, restoring access to technology that directly supports patient care. Trader donated the printer in honor of her late husband, Shawn, who held the mission of Shriners Children’s close to his heart.

Daughters of the Nile is an international women’s organization that has supported Shriners Children’s for more than 100 years. In 2024 alone, the organization raised more than $100,000 for Shriners Children’s Texas through community events such as galas, auctions and charitable fundraisers.

Through compassion and cutting-edge technology, Shriners Children’s Texas continues to help young patients heal more fully and move forward with confidence.