New technologies make planning surgery more effortless and precise for doctors and patients. Recent technologies include virtual reality (VR) devices and 3D printing capabilities.

VR and 3D printing enable surgeons to create sample implants quickly and accurately to optimize minimally invasive surgery. Patients can also observe simulations of multiple procedures and their results. This process can expedite patients' choosing the surgery they need while providing more personalized information about how a surgery will affect their appearance.

The most prevalent, emerging tool in surgery has become generative AI, specifically, models trained using case data and medical literature from the field. Surgeons can create 3D renderings without prior animation or coding knowledge. They input a text prompt describing the specific procedure and the patient’s physical details.

Moreover, before or during in-person appointments, patients can ask a generative AI if they need surgery or tell it to match them to a fitting operation. They can even ask it to analyze current photos and AI-generated, post-surgical ones to determine if their desired surgery will produce their envisioned improvements.