[3D printing allows a whole set of dentures to be made in one day
Dentures are increasingly common in Taiwan’s aging society. Now digital technology provides more options to produce dentures quickly and easily. 3D printing allows a whole set of teeth to be made in one day. A patient can walk into the dental clinic in the morning and leave with dentures in their mouth that afternoon. In the past, that process would take a minimum of two weeks. Let’s now step into a clinic to see the work in action.
a dentist scans the patient’s mouth with a tiny camera. In real time, a 3D model appears on the computer screen. These days, a set of dentures can be made in one day. Dentists work with dental technicians to immediately 3D print the new dentures in the clinic.
Hsieh Yi-hsun
CAD/CAM engineer
The doctor scans the mouth, and then sends us the file. The advantage of digital is that when you look at it here it’s very clear.
The image is magnified again and again. Every corner of the mouth is clear. The model can forecast how the jaws will meet in a bite. After the technician has designed a denture, the ceramics are put into a grinder and cut into shape in about six minutes.
Voice of Hsieh Yi-hsun
CAD/CAM engineer
The teeth which are cut for us by the machine are about 80% finished. Then they need to be worked on in post by the technician.
It’s the technician’s time to shine. They correct the grain on the dentures’ surface in 10 minutes. A photo is used to dye them in another 10 minutes, mimicking the translucence of tooth enamel. Finally they go in a high-temperature ceramics oven to fix the color.
Hsieh Yi-hsun
CAD/CAM engineer
Compared to the traditional method, mistakes are likely to be smaller. We can complete a single molar in about half an hour, including the design and processing. If we need to do a full set of 28 teeth for the patient, it’s no problem to finish it all in one day.
Lin Yu-shu
Dentist
Some older people may be infirm, and it’s inconvenient for them to come into the clinic. We can now complete the dentures for them in one day. Traditionally, for example, there might be issues with the fitting and we would have to send the dentures back to the technicians.
In the past, dentures would be made by hand in a technical workshop. It would take about two weeks, and longer if adjustments were needed. But with a 3D printer, it just takes one day and is all done on the spot in the clinic, increasing efficiency and reducing errors. The only catch is the cost.
Liu Sung-ho
Industrial Technology Research Institute
Digital design and 3D printing basically use the same materials as traditional methods, or even better. Now we’re bringing titanium alloys into various applications. Compared to traditional metals, it’s lighter in weight but stronger.
As Taiwan’s population ages, demand for dentures is always growing. These digital technologies can make the production of false teeth easier and swifter, and give patients more options.
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