Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 6, 2026
Additive Manufacturing of Functionally Graded Ceramic Materials by Stereolithography
Published on: January 25, 2019
Effect of Layer Thickness, Printing Orientation, and Post-Curing Time on the Color, Translucency, and Opalescence of
Purpose:
To investigate the effect of layer thickness, printing orientation, and post-curing time on the optical properties including the Commission Internationale de L'ecraige (CIE) color coordinates (L*, a*, and b*), color difference (ΔE00) with target shade, relative translucency parameter (RTP00), and opalescence parameter (OP) of additively manufactured resin material for interim fixed dental restorations.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 270 disc specimens were additively manufactured using biocompatible interim resin material (TEMP, Power Resins) with varying layer thicknesses (25, 50, and 100 µm), printing orientations (0, 45, and 90 degrees), and post-curing times (10, 20, and 30 minutes; n = 10). Optical properties were measured using a spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA, Tukey HSD, and Bonferroni post-hoc tests (α = .05).
Results:
Layer thickness, printing orientation, and post-curing time significantly influenced the optical properties (P < .05). All three-way interactions were significant (P < .05), except for L* and b* parameters (P > .05). Increasing layer thickness, printing orientation, and post-curing time resulted in increased yellowness and ΔE00, while lightness and OP decreased. A greater layer thickness increased redness and decreased RTP00, while increased printing orientation and post-curing times decreased redness and increased RTP00.
Conclusions:
The optical properties of additively manufactured resin are significantly affected by the printing parameters. The most favorable optical properties were observed with 25-µm thickness, 0-degree orientation, and 10 minutes of post-curing. Adjusting these parameters facilitates the optimization of esthetic outcomes while necessitating consideration of the associated changes in optical properties.
