3D Printing as an Efficient Way to Prototype and Develop Dental Implants

Abstract

Individualized, serial production of innovative implants is a major area of application for additive manufacturing in the field of medicine. Individualized healthcare requires faster delivery of the implant to the clinic or hospital facility. The total manufacturing process, including data generation using 3D drawings, imaging techniques, 3D printing and post-processing, usually takes up to a week, especially implants from risk class III, which requires qualified equipment and a validated process. In this study, we describe how to develop a new biomechanical model for dental implants from its conception for the patent to the final product which is ready to be manufactured using additive manufacturing. The benefits and limitations of titanium metal printing for dental implant prototypes are presented by the authors.