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Three-Dimensional Printed Materials for Definitive Ceramic and Resin Restorations: A Scoping Review
Ioulianos Rachiotis1, Aspasia Pachiou2, Maurice Salem3
1Dental School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Thivon 2, 11527 Athens, Greece.
Background:
The integration of additive manufacturing (AM) into digital dentistry has extended 3D printing beyond auxiliary applications toward the fabrication of definitive restorations, yet the evidence remains dispersed across diverse materials and technologies. This scoping review aimed to map the available evidence on 3D-printed resin- and ceramic-based materials for definitive tooth-supported restorations, including crowns, fixed dental prostheses, endocrowns, veneers, overlays, and onlays.
Methods:
The review followed the JBI framework and reported according to PRISMA-ScR. MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus were searched from inception to April 2026. Two reviewers screened records independently against predefined eligibility criteria, and data were extracted using a piloted charting form capturing study design, materials, additive manufacturing technology, restoration type, and evaluated outcomes. Given the anticipated heterogeneity, extracted data were synthesised descriptively and mapped narratively rather than pooled statistically; 111 studies met the inclusion criteria.
Results:
The evidence was predominantly in vitro (105 studies), with only six clinical studies, including one randomised controlled trial. Research concentrated on single crowns, zirconia and ceramic-filled/methacrylate-based resins, and vat-photopolymerization technologies. Additively manufactured restorations were frequently reported as comparable to milled controls in dimensional accuracy, marginal and internal fit, and fracture resistance, with values generally falling within the clinically accepted thresholds defined by the primary studies; reported outcomes were most consistent for printed zirconia, whereas printed resins were more often limited by lower strength and colour instability. Outcomes were strongly influenced by processing parameters, underscoring the need for workflow standardisation.
Conclusions:
The current evidence supports the technical feasibility of 3D-printed definitive restorations more strongly than their long-term clinical durability, highlighting a need for long-term clinical trials.
