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Development of lightweight and high-strength hollow titanium-plated denture material using three-dimensional printing
Masahiro Igarashi1, Kazuo Ohkuma2,3
1Course of Applied Science, Field of Developmental Science of Oral Biomaterials, The Nippon Dental University Graduate School of Life Dentistry at Niigata, 1-8 Hamaura-cho, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 951-8580, Japan. i-masahiro@ngt.ndu.ac.jp.
New three-dimensional printing (3DP) titanium dentures offer a lightweight and strong alternative to traditional PMMA dentures. Hollow 3DP-H titanium plates demonstrate significantly reduced density and enhanced proof stress for improved dental prosthetics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is increasingly favored for complex denture fabrication over traditional casting.
- Titanium's properties (corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, strength, low density) make it ideal for dental applications.
- Current PMMA dentures face limitations in weight and strength compared to metal alternatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, lightweight, and high-strength metal denture material using 3DP titanium.
- To evaluate the mechanical and physical properties of 3DP titanium structures for denture applications.
- To compare 3DP titanium dentures against conventional cast materials and PMMA dentures.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of hollow (3DP-H) and solid (3DP-S) titanium plate specimens using 3DP in various thicknesses (0.5, 1.0, 3.0 mm).
- Preparation of comparative specimens: cast Ti, cast Co-Cr, and PMMA plates.
- Comprehensive material property assessment including elastic modulus, density, thermal conductivity, hardness, and proof stress, analyzed via radar charts.
Main Results:
- 3DP-H titanium plates exhibited a 28-36% reduction in density compared to 3DP-S and cast Ti plates.
- A 0.5 mm 3DP-H titanium denture section weighed two-thirds less than a 2.0 mm PMMA denture section.
- The proof stress of 0.5 mm 3DP-H titanium plates was approximately three times higher than that of 2.0 mm PMMA plates.
- The overall performance value of 0.5 mm 3DP-H titanium plates surpassed that of 1.0 mm PMMA plates.
Conclusions:
- 3DP-H titanium plates offer a significant reduction in weight compared to conventional PMMA dentures.
- These novel titanium structures provide sufficient strength for dental prosthetic applications.
- The study validates the potential of 3DP-H titanium for creating advanced, lightweight, and robust metal dentures.
