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Effect of open-hollow obturators with various bulb wall thicknesses and build angle fabricated using digital light
Yuka Sasaki1, Yutaro Oyamada1, Atsuo Nakanishi1
1Division of Fixed Prosthodontics and Oral Implantology, Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
Purpose:
To evaluate and compare the effect of bulb wall thickness and build angle on the trueness and weight of an open-hollow obturator fabricated using digital light processing (DLP) technology.
Methods:
A 3D model of an edentulous maxillary jaw with an Aramany Class I defect was designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software, and 45 obturators with bulb wall thicknesses of 1, 2, and 3 mm were fabricated using a DLP printer at build angles of 0, 45, and 315 degrees, respectively. The weight of each obturator was measured. All obturators were scanned using cone-beam computed tomography, and the data were converted to the standard tessellation language format. The CAD and scanning data were superimposed for inspection. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test.
Results:
The two-way ANOVA showed a significant effect of the build angle on the denture base (P < 0.001); however, the bulb wall thickness had no significant effect (P = 0.73). Both the bulb wall thickness and build angle significantly affected the inner and outer bulb surfaces (P < 0.001), and a significant interaction between these factors was observed (P < 0.05). Significant differences were observed between bulbs (P < 0.001). Additionally, weight was significantly affected by both factors and their interactions (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
The bulb wall thickness and build angle significantly influenced the trueness and weight of the open-hollow DLP obturator, with the least error observed at a zero-degree build angle.

