Iowa Surgeon Uses AI to Reconstruct Teen's Shattered Jaw

Customized 3D-printed jawbone plate created in record time for 17-year-old gunshot victim

Jan. 31, 2026 at 9:39am

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Mya Buie, a 17-year-old from Des Moines, Iowa, underwent multiple surgeries to reconstruct her jaw after being shot in the face. Her surgeon, Dr. Simon Wright, used artificial intelligence and 3D printing technology to create a customized jawbone plate for Buie in record time - a process that normally takes weeks but was completed in just a few days. This new technology allowed for a more accurate fit and better alignment of Buie's jaw with her teeth, cutting surgery time in half.

Why it matters

This case highlights how advancements in medical technology, such as the use of AI and 3D printing, can dramatically improve outcomes for trauma patients. Customized implants created through this process can lead to better surgical results, faster recovery times, and an overall higher quality of life for patients like Buie who have suffered severe facial injuries.

The details

Buie was shot in the face with a .40-caliber bullet at close range, which fractured and shattered her jaw into tiny fragments and permanently damaged four of her teeth. In the past, Dr. Wright would have had to manually bend and mold titanium plates to reconstruct Buie's jaw, a time-consuming and often imperfect process. However, with the new AI-powered 3D printing technology, Wright was able to create a customized jawbone plate that fit Buie's unique anatomy precisely, cutting the surgery time in half. The plate was manufactured in a lab in Florida, flown to Des Moines, and delivered to the hospital just before Buie's surgery, an unprecedented turnaround time for this type of procedure.

  • Three months ago, Buie underwent multiple surgeries to reconstruct her jaw.
  • Next month, Buie will receive dental implants for her missing teeth.

The players

Mya Buie

A 17-year-old high school junior from Des Moines, Iowa, who was the victim of a gunshot to the face that shattered her jaw.

Dr. Simon Wright

A facial reconstruction trauma surgeon in Des Moines who used AI and 3D printing technology to create a customized jawbone plate for Buie.

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What they’re saying

“It was kind of scary. It was traumatic.”

— Mya Buie (98online.com)

“It's so much easier than trying to bend a plate to get it perfect. It's no question a game-changer.”

— Dr. Simon Wright, Facial Reconstruction Trauma Surgeon (98online.com)

“There is a lot of things that have to go right to do any kind of surgery at all, and to do something complicated like this, it's really an inspiring thing to be part of.”

— Dr. Simon Wright, Facial Reconstruction Trauma Surgeon (98online.com)

What’s next

Buie will likely undergo additional surgeries next month to receive dental implants for her missing teeth.

The takeaway

This case demonstrates how advancements in medical technology, such as the use of AI and 3D printing, can dramatically improve outcomes for trauma patients by enabling more precise and efficient surgical procedures. The customized jawbone plate created for Buie allowed for a better fit, faster recovery, and an overall higher quality of life following her devastating injury.