Once you start exploring digital dentistry, you will inevitably encounter the concept of 3D printing. Dental 3D printers rely on specialized printing resins to fabricate various appliances and models. What are the main types?
- Model Resins: Typically dark gray in color, these are used for printing working models—the digital equivalent of a traditional plaster model.
- Temporary Crown Resins: Tooth-shaded resins used to print temporary (provisional) crowns and sometimes teeth for temporary dentures.
- Gingival Mask Resins: Flexible resins formulated for printing soft-tissue gingival masks used in implant prosthodontics.
- Splint Resins: Usually very rigid and crystal clear, designed for fabricating night guards and occlusal splints.
- Surgical Guide Resins: Typically translucent, tough/semi-flexible, and green or white in color, with the ability to be autoclaved (sterilized). Surgical guide resin is often the most expensive among all dental resins, which accounts for the higher cost of printing surgical guides.
