Patients with congenital microtia and ear defects are often seen in plastic surgery clinics, and for these patients, ear reconstruction is the best option. The key to ear reconstruction is the ear stent, because the shape of the reconstructed ear depends mainly on the choice of ear stent material and the sculpture of the stent. Currently, the materials that can be used as ear scaffolds in reconstructive repair surgery can be divided into two categories: one is the use of autologous tissues (autologous cartilage) and scaffolds (allogeneic, xenogeneic, or synthetic materials); and the other is the use of the ear forgeries (prosthetic ears). So, which is the best type of ear support to choose? Ear restoration using ear prostheses is the installation of ear prostheses utilizing medical implant techniques, the advantages of which are: less invasive surgery, a wide range of applications, and no damage to the donor area. The main disadvantages are: the patient may psychologically believe that the ear prosthesis is not his/her own tissue, and the ear prosthesis needs to be cleaned every day. The color of the ear prosthesis is difficult to match with the surrounding skin, and it may fade and yellow with the change of temperatures and seasons, as well as with long-term use. In addition, the ear prosthesis may fall off, and will need to be replaced every one to two years at a higher cost. In contrast, the use of autologous tissue (cartilage) for ear reconstruction is currently the mainstream of ear reconstruction, the advantages of which are: the patient believes that the ear reconstructed using autologous tissue is “his” own, and the reconstructed outer ear can grow with age; the skin of the reconstructed ear is the same as the color of the surrounding skin, and there is a good sense of good feeling; and late There is no need to spend more money. The disadvantages are: the surgery is more invasive, there is damage to the donor area, and a little localized scarring will remain. In general, these two methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. Currently, most doctors believe that autologous rib cartilage scaffolding is the best choice for patients with congenital microtia and ear defects because it has the best results and the fewest long-term complications, and is therefore the most widely used. (Note: In addition, in recent years, there are also tissue-engineered cartilage ear scaffolds in the laboratory research stage, but there is still a long way to go before they can be applied in the clinic.)