J Yeungnam Med Sci.  2023 Jul;40(3):302-307. 10.12701/jyms.2022.00612.

Three-dimensional printing of temporary crowns with polylactic acid polymer using the fused deposition modeling technique: a case series

• Kim EK
• Park EY
• Kang S

• KMID: 2544593
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2022.00612

Abstract

With recent developments in digital dentistry, research on techniques and materials for three-dimensional (3D) printing is actively underway. We report the clinical applications and outcomes of 3D printing of temporary crowns fabricated with polylactic acid (PLA) using a fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer. Five participants were recruited from among patients scheduled to be treated with a single full-coverage crown at a dental clinic in a university medical center from June to August 2022. We used 3D-printed crowns fabricated with PLA using an FDM printer as temporary crowns and were assessed for discomfort, fracture, and dislodging. The 3D-printed temporary crowns were maintained without fracture, dislodging, or discomfort until the permanent prosthesis was ready. The average time required for printing the temporary crowns was approximately 7 minutes. The 3D printing of temporary crowns with PLA using an FDM printer is a convenient process for dentists. However, these crowns have some limitations, such as rough surface texture and translucency; therefore, the 3D printing process should be improved to produce better prostheses.

Keyword

Digital dentistry; Polylactic acid; Temporary dental restoration; Three-dimensional printing

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Intraoral scanning after tooth preparation. (A) Three-dimensional scanner (Medit i500; MEDIT Corp., Seoul, Korea). (B) Intraoral scanning image.

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  Fig. 2. Crown design using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software (Exocad GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany). (A) Lateral view. (B) Occlusal view.

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  Fig. 3. Fabrication of a three-dimensional (3D)-printed temporary crown using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method and polylactic acid (PLA) polymer. (A) FDM 3D printer (CUBICON Style Plus - A15D; CUBICON Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea). (B) Nexway PLA (QUVE Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea). (C, D) Fabrication of a single temporary crown using PLA. (E) Single temporary crown made with PLA.

Reference

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