digital workflow
Getting Started with Digital Dentistry

3D Printing:
Customized Workflows

USES & BENEFITS OF 3D PRINTING

Written by Andrew Sedler, COO

Written by Andrew Sedler, COO

Written by Andrew Sedler, COO

For more than a decade, 3D printing technology has become a revolutionary component of digital dental workflows. Also known as additive manufacturing, this technology is one of the fastest-growing areas in the dental field. 3D printers offer solutions for manufacturing surgical guides, dentures, models, diagnostics, and more. The ability to produce custom-designed dental prosthesis quickly and accurately make its implementation an essential part of digital workflows.

Uses of 3D Printing

3D printers can be used for a wide range of prosthetic uses. The technology has improved dramatically over the last decade and has made many processes more efficient as well as with significantly improved precision. These devices are being used successfully in the manufacturing of the following dental solutions:

Models
Models - 3D Printing

Accuracy is one of the main benefits of utilizing 3D printing options. One of the essential factors in achieving reliable results in dentistry is the foundation of cases. The precision found in printed models (see image above) improves profits by reducing remakes as well as reducing the need to re-impress.

In the creation of these models, an intraoral scanner can be used to record the patient’s mouth. This data file can be sent to the laboratory for immediate placement in production.

Types of models that can be fabricated are the following:

  1. Study models
  2. Working models
  3. Diagnostic wax-up models
  4. Orthodontic aligner models
Surgical Guides
Surgical Guide - Burbank Dental Lab

Easily one of the most intricate procedures in dentistry is the surgery required for implant placement.

Clinicians performing these types of procedures can send cone-beam computed tomography data coupled with intraoral scan data to the digital team at Burbank Dental Lab for the fabrication of a surgical guide.

Digital Workflow Success Guides
3D Printing - Customized Workflows

Another common use for 3D Printing is in the fabrication of night guards and aligners.

An intraoral scan is completed, and depending on the desired product, the data is uploaded to software for the designing of the appropriate modality.

Dentures In Only 3 Appointments - Burbank Dental Lab

One of the key growth areas in the digital spectrum is in a removable prosthesis. It is possible to have dentures fabricated without the need for custom trays and with fewer patient visits.

The workflow essentially is the following:

  1. Capture the data intraorally with an intraoral scanner
  2. Use CAD software to design the prosthesis
  3. Prepare 3D models and then process
  4. Deliver appliance

Thanks to the rapidly evolving technology, 3D Printing offers excellent solutions in the manufacturing process. Many devices can be fabricated using additive technologies, and this technology is expanding at a rapid rate.

Burbank Dental Lab

Benefits of 3D Printing

3D Printing is used in many industries. This technology is best suited when custom devices are needed to solve problems. The dental industry is well suited to incorporate this technology as the restorative process requires customization at every turn. Since their introduction, digital workflows have been experiencing rapid growth, and this includes 3D Printing. Some of the key benefits of this technology include:

  • Simplify workflows

  • High accuracy

  • Reduces error

  • Reproducable manufacturing

  • High precision

  • Reduced logistics

  • Data capture is more precise

Digital Workflow with 3D Printing

The benefits and applications of 3D Printing are extensive.

The steps to follow when implementing 3D Printing as part of the digital workflow process are simple.

First, analog impressions must either be converted into digital files or an intraoral scanner is used to capture the relevant data. The data is sent to the lab, where the data is evaluated on a computer monitor.

Design software is then used to begin to create the necessary restorative product. In this phase, both the clinician and the technician can use shared files to review and plan the prosthesis.

Once designed, the prosthesis is sent to a 3D printer to be processed. The workflow steps are as follows:

  • A digital impression is captured.
  • Data is sent to the laboratory.
  • The product is designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
  • The design is sent to a 3D printer to complete the computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) process.
Carbon M2 Printing

There are many types of 3D printers available with a wide range of capabilities. It is important to note that to achieve excellent results with any technology, the accuracy of the manufacturing device is directly related to the accuracy of its output. Burbank Dental Laboratory places a lot of importance on staying on top of new technologies. As early adopters of new advancements, the equipment used throughout the lab are the best in the industry. This includes our 3D Carbon M2 printers. Carbon M2 printers utilization ensures the highest level of accuracy (within +/- 50 µm).

Burbank Dental Lab & Carbon: A partnership in 3D printing

What sets this 3D printer apart from other printers is its Digital Light Synthesis or DLS technology. DLS consists of oxygen-permeable optics, digital light projection, and programmable materials that come together to produce unmatched precision outputs.

The restorations produced from Carbon M2 printers like those used here at Burbank Dental Lab are consistent and have predictable properties that are solid and durable. In contrast, many other traditional 3D printers utilizing the layer by layer technique have been known to be inconsistent in their outputs.

Burbank Dental Lab Carbon 3D Printers

The future of 3D Printing in the dental industry is encouraging. Technology keeps evolving, and with each evolution comes increased efficiency, accuracy, and an overall better experience for the patient.

With added communication tools between the clinician and the laboratory, cases can be discussed in real-time and designed and manufactured in much less time than ever before.

Digital processes have significantly changed dentistry, and our digital team at Burbank Dental Lab has been on the digital journey from the beginning.

Chat or call today for more information on our 3D printing technology.

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Slide 1

Fabrication
of the future
is here!

Burbank Dental Lab has three new state-of-the-art Carbon M2 printers. We are very excited about the options that these cutting-edge printers will allow us to offer our dental clients. Here are some of the advantages that these printers will begin to deliver to you and your dental practice.

Our New
State-Of-The-Art
3d Printers

Carbon offers a highly dependable 3D manufacturing solution for many dental applications with its breakthrough Digital Light Synthesis™ technology, enabled by a wide range of dental materials.

Fabrication
of the future
is here!

Burbank Dental Lab has three new state-of-the-art Carbon M2 printers. We are very excited about the options that these cutting-edge printers will allow us to offer our dental clients. Here are some of the advantages that these printers will begin to deliver to you and your dental practice.

Our New
State-Of-The-Art
3d Printers

Carbon offers a highly dependable 3D manufacturing solution for many dental applications with its breakthrough Digital Light Synthesis™ technology, enabled by a wide range of dental materials.