Resin 3D Printing in Dentistry for Precise Surgical Guides and Dental Implants

The dental industry has made great advances in recent years thanks to the incorporation of additive manufacturing. There are a number of applications for the technology in the sector, including but not limited to the development of dental models, prostheses, implants and crowns. For these reasons, the increased democratization of dental 3D printing is generating great market growth. According to the Markets and Markets study published this year, dental 3D printing is expected to generate $7.9 billion by 2027, an annual growth of 20.2%. This is becoming increasingly evident if we look at the large number of clinics and specialized centers that are betting on the integration of 3D into their day-to-day operations. One such example is the West Lake branch of the Dental Doctor clinic, located in Suzhou, China, which has turned to the expertise of the manufacturer RAYSHAPE to optimize its production processes and offer more precise solutions.

The main obstacle in dentistry, which has also been highlighted by the Dental Doctor clinic, is related to the manufacture and delivery of dental implants. Dental implants are safe, efficient and precise type of implantations in the patient, serving to replace missing teeth. Implants have strong mechanical properties and do not damage the rest of the natural teeth that make up the dentition. However, the problem lies in the high costs and the long manufacturing and integration time until they reach the patient. When patients have good oral health and only need one or two implants, it is a relatively simple process. But when it is a major reconstruction, such as half of the teeth or the entire denture, it requires much more time, both for implantation and recovery.

Dental 3D printing expected to reach $7.9 billion by 2027 (photo credits: RAYSHAPE)

Integrating Resin 3D Printing

After this problem was detected, the Doctor West Lake Dental Clinic began to evaluate different possibilities. The goal was clear: to shorten surgery and model fabrication times, as well as reduce the accompanying surgical trauma. As we know, resin 3D printing is one of the leading additive methods in the dental industry, followed by metal fabrication. Specifically, the solution to the problem was found in the Shape 1 Dental 3D printer, from the manufacturer RAYSHAPE, with which they were able to create the surgical guides. Based on DLP technology, the machine is equipped with a UV light and has a print volume of 144 × 81 × 200 mm (5.76 × 3.2 × 7.87 inches). Combining high speed with high throughput at a reasonable price, this solution is ideal for integration into dental clinics and laboratories. It also includes the ShapeWare 3D printing software in dental version. Dr. LV Haoxin, from Dental Doctor clinic, comments, “The quality of the 3D printed parts from RAYSHAPE is very good and the accuracy is what we expected.”