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Custom 3D-printed casts and splints may offer practical advantages for some children with selected fractures, but current pediatric studies are too limited to make them a standard replacement for conventional casts. The published devices were made for individual patients in clinician-supervised care—not designed or fitted at home.
What pediatric studies have found
The most relevant evidence concerns selected, relatively stable fractures, particularly in the wrist and forearm. It does not show that a printed device is suitable for every fracture or child.
Custom casts compared with fiberglass casts
A 2025 retrospective study compared 106 children with stable fracture patterns: 49 received custom 3D-printed casts and 57 received traditional fiberglass casts. The study authors reported that children with printed casts found showering, swimming, and sports easier, reported fewer overall functional limitations, and rated durability more favorably. Skin irritation was similar between groups.
There was one unplanned visit in the printed-cast group and five in the fiberglass group, but the difference was not statistically significant. The study also reported one loss of alignment in the printed-cast group after a child did not follow activity restrictions. Estimated institutional charges were sometimes slightly higher for the printed casts. These results describe one retrospective cohort, not a general comparison for all pediatric fractures. Read the 2025 study.
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Custom splints for distal-radius fractures
A 2025 single-centre study of 56 children compared custom 3D-printed splints with traditional U-shaped plaster immobilization for selected distal-radius fractures. Both approaches were used to treat the fractures in the study, and the authors reported better patient acceptance of the printed splint. The limited setting and study population do not establish how the approach performs for unstable, displaced, or otherwise unrepresented injuries. Read the study in Frontiers in Pediatrics.
Earlier and adjacent evidence
A 2022 case series followed 10 children with distal-radius buckle fractures for 21 days. The authors reported positive results for comfort, containment, and mechanical integrity, while classifying the work as Level IV evidence. A 2021 study likewise described pediatric printed orthoses as an emerging option supported by limited clinical evidence. Read the 2022 case series; read the 2021 study.
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A 2024 randomized trial involving 40 people with Colles fractures reported favorable short-term outcomes for an instant 3D-printed cast compared with a polymer orthosis. It was not a pediatric study, so it cannot establish effectiveness in children. Read the trial.
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What the results mean for comfort, skin, and activity
The activity advantages reported in the 2025 comparison may matter to families dealing with bathing and everyday routines. They do not mean a child can disregard the treating clinician’s restrictions. The study’s alignment loss after a child violated activity restrictions is a reminder that a more convenient device does not remove the need to protect the fracture.
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In that same study, skin irritation was reported in 12.2% of children with printed casts and 8.8% with fiberglass casts; the difference was not statistically significant. This result does not show that either option is free of skin problems. Ask the treating clinician how to check the skin and what to do if irritation, pressure, pain, or swelling develops.
How clinicians and families should weigh the options
The relevant question is not whether 3D printing is automatically better, but whether a particular device is appropriate for a particular child’s fracture and care plan. Useful points to discuss with the treating clinician include:
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- Fracture pattern and stability: The pediatric studies cited here focus on selected stable fractures or distal-radius injuries. Their findings do not establish suitability for other patterns.
- Comfort and daily function: Some children in one comparison reported easier showering, swimming, and sports, but the study does not guarantee the same experience for an individual child.
- Fit and follow-up: A patient-specific device needs clinical assessment and fitting. Ask how fit, fracture alignment, skin, and device condition will be monitored.
- Restrictions and supervision: Clarify which activities are permitted and what symptoms or device changes should prompt a call or visit.
- Cost: The 2025 comparison found estimated institutional charges were sometimes slightly higher for printed casts. It does not establish what a family would pay in a particular health system.
Can you print or modify a child’s cast at home?
The published pediatric findings concern custom devices produced in supervised clinical workflows. They do not establish that a family-designed, home-printed, modified, or repaired fracture cast is safe. A cast or splint must immobilize the specific injury appropriately; changes made without the treating team’s guidance could interfere with fit or fracture care. Do not substitute a home-printed device for prescribed immobilization. Ask the child’s orthopedic or fracture-care clinician about available options.
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Do not confuse printed casts with other fracture treatments
A 2025 randomized trial found that a removable walking boot was noninferior to circumferential casting for pain recovery at four weeks in children aged 9 months to 4 years with toddler’s fractures. That is evidence about boots for a different injury—not evidence for 3D-printed casts. Read the toddler’s-fracture trial.
Quick Recap
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- Easier to Burn - This castable 3D printer resin material contains some wax, so it is easier to burn than many non-wax-based casting resins. This Siraya Tech Cast rapid resin is very suitable to be used in the production of small metal parts, which can fully demonstrate the core of the part.
- High Resolution - Siraya Tech Cast 3D printer resin uses a unique and beautiful purple color, and the printed model has a high resolution and smooth surface. Its high resolution allows the model to be printed with precise details, which will make your model look great.
- Easy to Print - This Siraya Tech Cast 3D printing resin can print quickly and has a high resolution, is easy to print. This Cast LCD UV-Curing resin is very easy to use and dye, and is a castable resin for jewelers and small metal parts.
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