Study finds 3D printing better quality crowns than milling

A study by researchers at Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry in Japan has found that 3D printing crowns offers dentists "a far better product in terms of less wastage and higher accuracy than has previously been available."

While CAD/CAM-produced milled crowns have been favoured in recent years over more traditional metallic restorations, Dental Tribune reports that crowns printed by the 3D printer demonstrated greater accuracy and fewer marginal discrepancies.

It was also discovered that fitting accuracy was also improved by the use of 3D printing which also offers a reduction in the potential for brittleness of the crown, and therefore, chipping.

Researchers, who used precisely the same dataset throughout and an industrial 3D digitiser to ensure observational consistency, are hoping that future studies will evaluate, among other things, "the fracture resistance and biocompatibility of 3D-printed crowns as permanent prostheses".

For the full study, go to Dental Materials Journal