If you have had molds made of your teeth in the last 30 years, it’s likely your dentist used plaster in a tray to make a physical mold. For patients with a strong gag reflex or general dental anxieties, this procedure could end up being traumatic. Furthermore, plaster molds were not always 100% accurate. Human error—on the part of the technician or the patient—was common and could result in costly errors.
Thankfully, as technology has advanced so have dental practices.
3D printing has taken the world (and the dentistry world) by storm. Some dental machines already boast printing speeds more than 100 times faster than your traditional 3D printer. This technology allows dentists to do things exponentially more accurately, faster and cheaper than traditional methods. Today, many dentists are even relying on 3D printers instead of plaster molds since studies have found that the quality of the mold is as good (and usually better) than former plaster molds.
A recent case study examined this exact situation. The question was, could you replace the labor intensive plaster mold with one created by a 3D printer to create better dental outcomes when customizing crowns, dentures or other orthodontic devices?
The challenge of this cutting-edge study
The challenge this study focused on was time and its relation to cost. The question was, could an accurate, durable model be created in less time by a 3D printer than by hand?
In addition to time, accuracy and patient comfort also had to be taken into account. But to understand the differences in production, we first have to understand how each model is made.
Plaster models require dentists to use precise, technical and demanding tools to saw the model and ensure each tooth is represented correctly in the mouth. Since so much of this is done by hand, it can result in a wide margin of error. In addition, this sometimes needs to be done in several iterations. This means more time in the chair for the patient.
But realistically, most of our patients have busy professional and family lives and don’t have hours to spend at the dentist. In the case of 3D printing, many dentists rely on digital wands that quickly scan the mouth. The scans are uploaded on the computer through a software that allows it to be transferred to a 3D printer. From there, custom night or mouth guards can be produced in as little as 45 minutes!
On the question of time, 3D printer technology comes out ahead. Traditional plaster molds can take weeks to be finalized, which delays treatment. In addition, errors in the mold can mean dentures don’t fit correctly and need adjustments. This requires additional time on both the part of the patient and the dentist.
The cost of services provided by the 3D printer is less than traditional methods for both the dentist and the patient. It can cost up to $100,000 to set up an in-house lab in a dentist office compared to most 3D printers that cost $20,000. In addition, it is less costly for the patient since fewer hours are needed to create the product. You can see the cost deferential thanks to 3D printing across a variety of medical fields—particularly prosthetics where the cost difference between traditional artificial limbs and 3D printed ones is substantial.
Finally, patients have experienced increased comfort and less time spent at the dentist when using products produced by 3D printers. Devices that fit the mouth more accurate, too, and lead to less pain and better outcomes in treatment. The benefits of 3D printing precision begin to compound.
This case study confirms what we already knew in our office—technology is the way of the future and greatly improves the patient experience. If you want to know how our office incorporates innovative technology, give us a call today!
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