According to the Flash Global Market study promoted by the Dental sector of the Spanish Federation of Health Technology Companies, In Spain, 60% of dental clinics are betting on digital technologies to promote the recovery of this sector and reach the consumption values prior to the health crisis. Likewise, the 3d print in dentistry shows an annual growth of 35% and will reach 9,500 million dollars in 2027, taking into account hardware, materials and 3D printed parts, according to a study by SmarTech Publishing.
Among the advantages offered by 3D technology in odontology is offering the patient a solution to their problem, in some treatments, in just 24 hours, since it addresses prosthetic procedures in a personalized and minimally invasive way. In this line, since the therapeutic procedure can be planned virtually, the professional treats his patients in a much more efficient way, reducing the intervention time and increasing clinical success.
“Virtual planning of dental implants allows us to design a surgical guide with great precision”, Dr. Itamar Friedländer has indicated. In this sense, Friedländer highlights the possibility of “propose different treatment plans to the patient and you can see how the result will be before starting”. Also, “it improves communication with patients, since they can see the result from the beginning”. On the other hand, there is less waste in materials, since 3D printing It is an additive technology this means that layers of material are adhered according to the need of each geometry.
How is the workflow in dentistry when using 3D technology?
The main pillars of these new working methods are 3D scanners, design software (CAD) and 3D printing. Dr. Itamar Friedländer explains to us what each technology consists of and what how it affects the workflow in the clinic:
- 3D scanner. In the case of the scanner, it can be intraoral, of the teeth, or an external scanner, of the patient’s face. With the intraoral scanner, the digital replica of the teeth can be obtained directly, while with the external scanner or facial scanner, a replica of the surface of the patient’s face is obtained and these data can be combined with the images obtained by computed tomography ( a CT scan). All this information will be used for planning complex cases of rehabilitation or orthognathic surgery. Friedländer adds that “today with the scanner you can obtain virtual models of the patient, which you can print, use them with design software to plan treatments. All these new techniques help us to plan and integrate dental aesthetics and facial aesthetics”.
- Design and data processing software. Through this system, the reconstruction of digital models of the different parts is carried out. From the digital model, the patient’s prostheses can be designed digitally, planning the placement of the implants and even making a “set-up” of teeth to be able to manufacture aligners to move the teeth to the planned position.
- 3D printer and milling machines. If you want to “materialize” these models, you print the model with a 3D printer, “the most common are resin printers that use different technologies for 3D printing”, they add from Friedländer Clinic. Therefore, “once you scan the patient, you can design a crown on a tooth, for example. Later, that crown can be milled. With a ceramic block and some milling cutters, the milling machine polishes that block until only a crown remains. A dental restoration with a very high precision”, they highlight.
Currently, the main challenge lies in obtaining a biocompatible material that enables direct printing of temporary and permanent teeth, without intermediate steps. On the other hand, from Friedländer they reveal that there are certain cases where digital technology still does not overcome analog procedures. “For example, some very delicate aesthetic treatments or characterization of the ceramic used for veneers still require them to be done manually.”, they explain. In addition, they point out that3D technology continues to be a tool to achieve more precision in processes, also making them shorter and more predictable. It can’t be all digital. Digital technology is used when the treatment requires it”.
