Surgeries involving face reconstruction procedures might soon use shape-shifting materials, according to Science World Report.

According to researchers, birth defects, serious injuries and medical procedures that involve removing tumors can leave gaps in the bone. If these occur in the head, the gaps can significantly affect a person's appearance.

Right now, the common method used in face reconstruction is autografting. This involves taking bone from another body part and shaping it to fill the gap from the defect.

The main challenge with this method, however, is that bone material is too rigid to mold it into the appropriate shape that will fit in the gap.

"The problem is that the autograft is a rigid material that is very difficult to shape into these irregular defects," Melissa Grunlan, the leader of the research team said.

As an alternative, Grunlan's team developed a malleable and self-fitting material that can accurately fill the gap in the bone. In addition, it can also act as a frame for the growth of new bone tissue, ACS reported.

The shape-memory polymer (SMP)is a porous foam that reacts to warm temperatures of around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. During surgery, doctors heat up the SMP and mold it according to the gap in the bone.

As the SMP cools, it becomes stiffer and stays securely in place. Due to its porous appearance, the hardened SMP has small holes that new bone cells can fill. As the cells turn into tissue, a new bone structure fills the SMP.

For now, researchers have only used the SMPs to cure bone defects in animals. But due to the positive results, Grunlan and her team are planning on moving forward with human surgeries, according to Medical News Today.

"The work we've done in vitro is very encouraging," she said. "Now we'd like to move this into preclinical and, hopefully, clinical studies."