Build Angle: Does It Influence the Accuracy of 3D-Printed Dental Restorations Using Digital Light-Processing...

Area of Science:

• Additive Manufacturing
• Dental Materials Science
• Digital Dentistry

Background:

• Digital light-processing additive manufacturing (DLP-AM) is increasingly used for dental restorations.
• Optimizing build orientation is crucial for achieving high dimensional accuracy in 3D-printed dental prosthetics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate how build orientation affects the dimensional accuracy of full-coverage dental restorations produced with DLP-AM.
• To identify the optimal build angle for 3D-printed dental crowns manufactured via DLP-AM.

Main Methods:

• Full dental crowns were designed and 3D-printed using DLP-AM at nine different build angles (90-270 degrees).
• Dimensional accuracy was assessed using a digital subtraction technique by comparing scanned printed crowns to the reference design.
• Root mean square estimate (RMSE) and color map deviation patterns were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Build angle significantly impacted the dimensional accuracy of the 3D-printed dental restorations.
• The lowest RMSE values were observed at 135 and 210-degree build angles.
• The 135-degree build angle demonstrated a more favorable deviation pattern, particularly around critical marginal areas, compared to the 210-degree angle.

Conclusions:

• A build angle of 135 degrees is recommended for DLP-AM of dental restorations, offering superior dimensional accuracy and deviation control.
• The 135-degree orientation provides a self-supporting geometry during the printing process.
• This finding enhances the reliability of DLP-AM for producing precise full-coverage dental prosthetics.