Validation of cone beam computed tomography-based tooth printing using different three-dimensional printing...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Dental Technology
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Accurate dental models are crucial for procedures like tooth transplantation.
• Traditional methods for creating dental models can be time-consuming and costly.
• Advancements in 3D printing offer potential for more efficient and precise model fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of 3D-printed teeth models compared to natural teeth.
• To compare the precision of four different 3D printing technologies.
• To assess the suitability of 3D-printed models for clinical applications.

Main Methods:

• Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was used to scan natural teeth from human mandibles.
• Premolars were selected for 3D model printing using four distinct 3D printers.
• Dimensional accuracy was assessed through direct volumetric measurements and indirect optical scanning.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant volumetric differences were observed between natural teeth and 3D-printed models.
• Mean volume differences ranged from 0.7% to 1.9% (direct) and -0.6% to 5.9% (indirect).
• Surface analysis indicated that 90% of deviations were within 0 to 0.25 mm.

Conclusions:

• All tested 3D printing methods produced highly accurate dental models.
• The accuracy supports the potential use of 3D-printed teeth in clinical settings.
• Cost-effective 3D-printed models can aid surgical procedures like tooth autotransplantation.