Compared with 3D printing technology, the traditional CNC molding method has more restrictions on the process procedure and efficiency. Inversely, 3D printing could satisfy personalized production. As the teeth distance of each patient is varied, only 3D printing is capable to meet this need up to standard flexibly, automatically to optimize efficiency, ensure safety, and reduce material consumption. Thus, 3D prototyping technology is currently emerging and quickly occupying a larger share of the application industry market.
Through 3D scanning, CAD/CAM design and 3D printing, dental laboratories can accurately, quickly and efficiently produce crowns, bridges, plaster models and implant guides. At present, the design and manufacture of dental prostheses are still clinically dominated by manual work with low efficiency. Digital dentistry shows us an extensive development space. Digital technology removes the heavy burden of manual work and eliminates the bottleneck of accuracy and efficiency.
3D medical printing is based on digital 3D model, which can locate and assemble biological materials or living cells, manufacture medical assistive devices, artificial implantation scaffolds, tissues, organs and other medical products through software layered discretization and numerical control molding. 3D medical printing is the most cutting-edge field of 3D printing technology research by now.
Before surgery, doctors can better conduct preoperative planning and control the risk through 3D modeling. Meanwhile, it’s beneficial for doctors to demonstrate the operation to patients, facilitate the communication between doctors and patients, improving the confidence of doctors and patients in the operation.
3D printing surgical guide is an important auxiliary tool for doctors to implement surgical plan, rather than relying entirely on experience more reliable and safer. Currently, 3D printing surgical guides have been applied in various disciplines, including arthritis guides, spinal or oral implant guides, etc.
Application of 3D printing technology in dental medicine:
● Dental samples manufacture
After data collection through 3D scanner, import the data to the printing equipment and proceed with post-process, the finished models can be directly applied in dental clinic, thereby effectively shortening the processing, more intuitively restoring the patient's dental prototype, reducing the extra cost and risk caused by process routes extending.
● Diagnostic treatment assistance and presentation
It is beneficial for doctors to further use the molded parts to show the treatment plan to patients, avoid repeated repair and processing, realize time-saving and low-consumptive. At the same time, for patients, the molded parts can precisely match their teeth, avoiding repeated and long-term diagnosis and treatment, and effectively improving the diagnosis and treatment experience.
3D printing is widely applied in other medical-related fields.
So far, Prismlab has been deeply cooperating with large dental companies such as Angelalign to continuously improve the application of digital technology in dental industry, providing comprehensive digitized dental solutions for enterprises in combination with actual status to help ensure the quality and precision of dentures produced, and shorten production period to better serve dental patients.