Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss different 3D printing techniques and also illustrate the issues related to 3D printing and cost-effectiveness in the near future. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review methodology is adopted for this review paper. 3D printing is in the initial phase of implementation in healthcare; therefore, a study of 70 research papers is done, which discusses the research trends of 3D printing in healthcare sector from 2007 to mid-2018. Findings Though additive manufacturing has a vast application, it has not been used to its full potential. Therefore, more research is required in that direction. It is revealed from the review that only a few researchers have explored issues related to cost, which can clearly show cost-effectiveness of adopting 3D printing. Originality/value This paper helps in understanding the different 3D printing techniques and their application in the healthcare. It also proposed some methods which can be applied in delivering customized pharmaceuticals to the customer and to improve surgery.