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How to 3D Print Dental Crowns & Bridge Models

28/04/2021

A million dollar smile is all it takes to strike that business deal, win in love and even get served faster while at the bar on a Friday night, right? Well, it’s much more about the confidence boost a glimmering smile can cause. Dental crowns and bridge models have been on the market for dental improvements for years, but modern technology revolutionized the common dentist’s life with the creation of 3D printing technology.

Dental 3D printers have given the global population a lot to smile about, their accuracy and bespoke technology brought a new level of speed and efficiency to the old procedures. 3D Printing for dental work is constantly developing, with new improvements in stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP) as the most common forms of technology used.

Dental practitioners have found countless ways to implement 3D into their patients’ lives and with the ever growing strength in the beauty and wellbeing sector, jumping on the 3D dental crown and bridge model printing industry is a great way to improve the dental hygiene and self-improvement market.
 

How do you 3D print your teeth?

Dental 3D printing has made great strides in creating crowns and bridges in an incredibly simple manner. The process, while technically astute, is easy in implementation and provides accurate results for patients seeking their benefits.

Dental Model Resin is a material that allows for highly accurate modeling from dentitures. Here’s how the 3D dental crown and bridge model process works:

  1. Scan: dentists scan the patient’s mouth with a scanner that creates a perfect impression.
  2. Creation: scanned data is processed and analysed to create that winning smile.
  3. 3D Print: final data is imported into an optimised 3D printer to head for production stage.
  4. Production: information from the 3D printer is sent to crown developers to create the end product.


1. Scanning for new Dental Crowns & Bridge Models

The starting point on achieving a new set of pearly whites is to undergo a scan where the anatomical data of a patient’s mouth is recorded by means of a highly proficient scanner. This can be done with an intraoral scanner or even a desktop optical scanner.

This is the first step you will take when looking to create 3D print dental crowns and bridge models.
 

2. The Digital Creation of Dental Crowns & Bridge Models

All scanned data is processed by the professional dental software; usually CAD, and creates an export that can be later used for the manufacturing of dental crowns and model bridges.

Once the scans are imported into your software, edits and improvements can be made to the anatomical structure of the scanned teeth and sections within the mouth. Here trimming of the scan will also allow you to choose the necessary portions of the dentiture that will be 3D printed.

Further adjustments are made to select teeth for reconstruction reasons and margin lines are displayed for accurate production of dental crowns and bridge models. Final sculpting is an optional step that could also result in a more successful result that will be sent to export.
 

3. 3D Printing Dental Crowns & Bridge Models

During the 3D printing process it is important to be aware of the thickness in which you will be printing to create a manageable mould for increased accuracy. The recommended thickness is a 0.05mm layer.

Once model files are imported it is highly recommended to print parts on the build platform directly, in order to save time and resin. You can even build both hollow and solid models during this step.

Your next step is to upload the print, prepare the 3D printer and resin by inserting the build platform, resin tank and resin cartridge into the printer. And hit print.

Top tip: make sure to shake the resin cartridge thoroughly before inserting into the 3D printer - this will allow for better flow and more accurate results.
 

4. Production of Dental Crowns & Bridge Models

The final step in achieving a new shiny set of teeth is the production stage. Once 3D printing has been prepped for, modified and finally implemented, the tangible dental crown and bridge model can finally be brought into production.

Once printing has been completed, simply remove the models from the build platform following all manufacturing and use instructions and wash the printed parts with an isopropyl solution of 90% IPA or higher; the recommended solution is 99%.

This will loosen any resin away from the printed parts and take you one step closer to the final product. You’ll need to let the model air dry and check the model for any resin residue that might impair the product’s quality.

This takes you to the final stage of dental crown and bridge model 3D printing where the parts are cured for the best mechanical results, increased accuracy and precision. This is done by exposing the newly manufactured parts to light and heat. All that’s left to do is remove any supports if used in the 3D printing process and assemble the crown or bridge for professional installment.

3D printing for dental crowns and bridge models is a revolutionary way of correcting any dental defects in patients. The quick, easy and highly accurate results make 3D dental printing a viable solution for those looking to improve the quality of dental hygiene and corrective surgery for better results and confident smiles.
 

Discover the perfect printer for printing in the dental industry: