IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CRANIOFACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY, DOES THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, VIRTUAL SURGICAL PLANNING, 3D PRINTING, AND AUGMENTED REALITY IMPROVE CLINICAL AND AESTHETIC OUTCOMES COMPARED WITH CONVENTIONAL TECHNIQUES?

Abstract

Craniofacial Plastic Surgery requires high aesthetic and functional precision. In recent decades, digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), virtual surgical planning (VSP), three-dimensional printing (3D), and augmented reality (AR) have been incorporated into practice to enhance surgical predictability and patient safety. This study conducted a narrative review of the literature published between January 2015 and July 2025 in PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO, LILACS, and the Virtual Health Library (VHL). Original articles, reviews, clinical trials, and case reports in Portuguese, English, and Spanish were included, resulting in 27 studies selected from 642 initially identified. Results showed that AI achieved accuracy above 85% in predicting complications and greater precision in detecting facial asymmetries compared to conventional clinical evaluation, while reducing variability in aesthetic outcome assessment. VSP demonstrated average reductions of 22% in operative time and 25% in blood loss, with error margins below 2 mm in craniofacial osteotomies. 3D printing, often associated with VSP, reduced intraoperative adjustments by up to 40% and proved useful in surgical training and physician-patient communication. AR and VR, although less explored, revealed promising applications in orbital osteotomies and surgical education. It is concluded that these technologies represent significant advances, though barriers related to cost, standardization, multicenter validation, and ethical regulation remain challenges for consolidating a new quality standard in the specialty.