What are the uses of a dental 3D printer in dentistry?
The invention of dental 3D printers in the dental industry has enabled dentists to have customized solutions to solve some complicated dental problems. A dental 3D printer feature lighting or lase which polymerizes liquid or fuses the powder with computer-guided precision thus producing small objects with tangled details.
These machines are designed to be able to produce models and parts and complete restorations out of a range of materials. 3D printing is mainly used to create dental implants and crowns in the dental field. The process gives a final product most likely compatible with the patient’s natural teeth. The artificial tooth’s size, shape, colour and positioning are crafted to ensure a perfect match.
Uses of a dental 3D printer in the dental industry:
- Create 3D-printed surgical guides
3D printing assists in surgical procedures which are applied in the dental field. The surgical guides ensure the implants are placed in the correct form. Most surgical guides are designed in 3D scan data, which is transformed into CAD design. The procedure is applied directly to the patient’s mouth and can be removed at any time.
- 3D-printed dental models
3D printing can be used to directly fabricate 3D-printed full arch models or crown and bridge models with removable dies. Scans are first done on the patient’s mouth and transformed into CAD files, allowing the software to create removable dies automatically. This allows dentists to plan for correct restoration procedures.
- 3D printing of patterns for casting
A dental 3D printer can be used to create patterns used to allocate crowns, bridges and copings. 3D printing has helped improve the end product quality because it streams and produces automatically. 3D patterns can be cleaned and used in the investment casting process. During the burnout stage, 3D printed pattern is burned away, leaving a cavity filled with casting material.
- 3D printed dentures
Dental 3D printers can also be used for direct 3D printing, where printers give the final product without going through the manufacturing process. 3D printing of full dentures is an example of direct printing, which involves fitting removable plastic frames with a whole set of teeth given to a patient with no teeth. Dentures are printed in 2 phases; the base is softer and is attached to the patient’s gum, and then the teeth are modified to be rigid and strong.
- 3D printing of dental aligners
A Dental 3D printer can be used to create a specific dental aligner. Resin 3D printers are applied to capacitate accurate models of a patient’s teeth and then used to make clear aligners. A scan is first done on the patient’s mouth, and scan data is transformed into a CAD model, which is edited to reflect the desired teeth movement. The design is then 3D printed with correct adjustments and placed in a dental thermoforming machine where the clear aligner is wrapped around a printed model thus creating a patient’s specific final product.
Where to buy a dental 3D printer
3DPMAX is one of the best manufacturers of quality 3D printing machines. We also manufacture Dental 3D printers like the resin 3D printer. Click to learn more about us.
