Accuracy of Conventional and 3D-Printed Casts for Partial Fixed Prostheses

Area of Science:

• Dental materials science
• Digital dentistry
• Additive manufacturing

Background:

• Conventional dental casts are crucial for prosthodontic restorations.
• Advancements in digital dentistry have introduced 3D printing as an alternative for cast fabrication.
• Evaluating the accuracy of 3D-printed casts is essential for clinical adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the accuracy (trueness and precision) of conventional dental casts with those produced by five different 3D printers.
• To assess the influence of various 3D printing technologies on cast accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Five conventional stone casts were created from elastomeric impressions (control group).
• Five intraoral scans were performed and exported as STL files.
• Casts were manufactured using five distinct 3D printers (Straumann, Formlabs, Wanhao, Zenith, Moonray).
• Accuracy measurements (trueness and precision) were conducted using 3D analysis software.

Main Results:

• The Formlabs (FG) group exhibited the lowest trueness, comparable only to the Straumann (SG) group.
• Moonray (MG), Wanhao (WG), and Zenith (ZG) groups showed similar, higher trueness values.
• All 3D-printed groups demonstrated significantly higher precision (less deviation) than the conventional control group.

Conclusions:

• The trueness of 3D-printed dental casts is dependent on the specific 3D printer utilized.
• All evaluated 3D printers offered superior precision compared to casts made from conventional elastomeric impressions.