The field of 3D printing has seen massive improvements since it was first created in the 1980s by Charles Hull. Since its debut, the technology has grown rapidly and is used in a diverse range of industries. The technology has developed into low-cost machines with increased accessibility. It ranges from commercial uses to personal, with an at-home 3D printer for beginners having a cost in the low hundreds. That's far cheaper than what it used to cost. For medical uses, however, 3D printing has been used far more cautiously.

The medical field has started using 3D printing as a tool far slower than other industries. There are many reasons for this, key issues being the safety, reproducibility, and other problems that can only be solved with time, research, and more innovation. The orthopedic field, while still slowly implementing the new technology, is a field which has started using 3D printing more than the other fields within medicine.

The future of 3D printing in medicine is incredibly promising. As technology improves, so does the potential for more innovation in the medical field. Scientists and engineers are already exploring ways to 3D print custom prosthetics, surgical tools, and even bioprinted tissues and organs. These innovations can having huge benefits for patients, like reduce transplant wait times and lower costs for patients.

In the near future, we might even see hospitals with 3D printers with in-house printers capable of producing patient-specific models for surgical planning, or even pharmaceuticals that release drugs in specific ways for patients.

While challenges still remain before mass adoption becomes feasible, the future of 3D printing is bright, and scientists are making great strides every day in the technology.