While artificial intelligence is making enormous inroads across much of traditional medical care, it is 3D printing that is capturing attention in the field of dentistry.
3D printing refers to computer designs that are manufactured on a printing machine that can create objects that have height, width, and depth. The dimensions of height, width, and depth are why the printing is descried as “3D,” or three-dimensional. The machines that perform 3D printing do not look like traditional paper printers but have a moveable arm and a nozzle from which the printing material is extruded. In the early days of the technology, it was closely associated with product prototyping and manufacturing work.
The design flexibility, material options, and the precision of resulting products have made 3D printing popular among businesses and hobbyists alike.
A major opportunity associated with 3D printing in dentistry lies in the printers’ ability to manufacture highly precise dental components such as replacement teeth. Traditional methods of creating dental prosthetics often require manual shaping, which can introduce errors and inconsistencies. In contrast, 3D printing allows for the creation of intricate dental structures with amazing precision, ensuring fit and proper function. These structures include:
Alongside these applications, researchers are continuing to explore other ways 3D printing can improve dental services.
The cost-efficiency of 3D printing has attracted some dental practices to produce their own dental prosthetics rather than use a third party. The in-house manufacture can eliminate some of the time lost to ordering and shipping while producing a product more aligned with the dentist’s vision. In fact, there are cases where 3D printing can produce a dental part the same day as the patient visit.
Below are a few examples of orthodontic benefit conditions observed in various dental plans offered in multiple states. They illustrate the lack of uniformity among orthodontic benefits and the need for careful
If you have a need for a tooth replacement, crown, or bridge and are intrigued by 3D printing, ask your dentist if he or she uses the technology. You should about the printing material used (e.g. resin, ceramic, or polymer) and the durability of the material. Some materials may involve trade-offs between aesthetics and longevity.
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