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Mechanical Performance of CAD/CAM-Milled Versus 3D-Printed Resins for Prosthetic Applications: A Systematic Review
Carlos Carpio-Cevallos1,2, Luis Chauca-Bajaña3, Andrea Ordoñez-Balladares4
1Dental Sciences, College Dentistry, University of Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090514, Ecuador.
Polymers
|May 27, 2026
Summary
Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) milled resins exhibit superior hardness and flexural strength compared to 3D-printed resins for dental restorations. Further research is needed due to observed heterogeneity in findings.
Area of Science:
- Dental Materials Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Restorative Dentistry
Background:
- Digital fabrication, including CAD/CAM milling and 3D printing, is prevalent for provisional dental restorations.
- Mechanical properties, specifically hardness and flexural strength, of these fabrication methods remain a subject of debate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the hardness and flexural strength of CAD/CAM-milled versus 3D-printed resins.
- To evaluate the mechanical performance differences relevant to restorative dentistry applications.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis adhering to PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
- Inclusion of in vitro studies comparing milled and printed resins for hardness and flexural strength.
- Application of random-effects inverse-variance model with standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Main Results:
- CAD/CAM-milled resins demonstrated significantly higher hardness (SMD = 2.92) and flexural strength (SMD = 1.28) compared to 3D-printed resins.
- High heterogeneity was noted for hardness (I² = 94.9%), with possible small-study effects.
- Low-to-moderate heterogeneity (I² = 27.8%) was observed for flexural strength; robustness confirmed via sensitivity analyses.
Conclusions:
- CAD/CAM-milled resins generally exhibit superior hardness and flexural strength over 3D-printed resins in dental applications.
- Substantial heterogeneity, particularly for hardness, necessitates cautious interpretation of findings.
- Methodological variability may influence outcomes, highlighting the need for standardized research protocols.