Dental 3D printing
Also called: 3D printing in dentistry, dental printing, additive manufacturing
Dental 3D printing builds dental parts layer by layer from a digital file, usually in a light-cured resin. Labs and practices print models, surgical guides, night guards, temporary restorations and try-ins. A printed part has to be washed, cured and finished before it is used, following the resin maker’s instructions.
How it shows up between practice and lab
Printing moves some lab work into the practice. A night guard or a model that once went out in a box can now be made down the hall.
That work still needs tracking. An in-house case has the same steps as a lab case, and it is easier to forget, because no outside lab is expecting it.
For labs, printing can replace poured stone models in digital cases. The scan arrives as a file, and the lab prints only what the technician needs to hold.
Read more in digital impressions vs traditional impressions and 3D printing night guards in-house.
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