Dental Prostheses: Types, Benefits and 3D Printing Technology

Do you want to understand everything about a dental prosthesis made with 3D printing? At Smileep, a digital dental lab, we want to walk you through the workflow used to obtain these restorations efficiently and with the best cost/value balance for your clinic. Do not miss it.

Types of Dental Prostheses and Their Applications

Dental prostheses are devices manufactured with different biocompatible materials that replace missing dental structures in the oral cavity for many possible reasons.

The process consists of manufacturing a custom dental prosthesis structure using 3D printing as the production system. Afterwards, the structure requires a personalized finish by a dental technician before it can be used in the mouth.

There are several options for 3D printers, post-processing equipment and validated materials for printing permanent single crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers.

The goals of these dental devices are to recover good oral function, improve chewing, increase phonetic quality, enhance the aesthetics of the patient’s mouth and considerably improve self-confidence.

Why Choose a Dental Lab Specialized in 3D Technology

Traditionally, the manufacturer of the dental prosthesis, a dental lab, received the model of the patient’s mouth by courier together with other elements such as wax bites, shade tests or study models, and worked from these elements to design, shape and manufacture the dental prosthesis. Depending on the type of product, the process, finishing technique and materials varied, and the final quality depended greatly on the skill of the technician and the dentist.

Today, thanks to the intraoral scanner and latest-generation CAD design and dental 3D printing systems with certified processes, 3D printing of dental parts has become a very common practice and is already the present of modern dentistry.

New manufacturing practices for dental products based on 3D technology allow dental labs to produce several types of dental prostheses.

Fixed Dental Prostheses: Dental Crown

Dental crowns made with dental 3D printing

Thanks to dental 3D printing technology, it is now possible to create individual crowns and provisional full-arch bridges with exceptional precision. These parts are made with high-performance resins reinforced with ceramic, ensuring durability of up to 12 months in the patient’s mouth. They are also fully customizable: they can be characterized and stained to achieve a precise, natural aesthetic that reproduces the patient’s original tooth shade.

Formlabs: High-Quality Resins for Temporary and Permanent Dental Restorations

Formlabs offers a range of innovative resins for 3D printing dental restorations, including Premium Teeth Resin. This tooth-colored resin makes it possible to print temporary and permanent restorations such as crowns, bridges, inlay and onlay restorations, and veneers, with a superior aesthetic finish.

Temporary CB Resin is another standout option, ideal for printing temporary restorations with an exceptional aesthetic finish that combines quality, strength and ease of use.

Fixed Dental Prostheses with Dental 3D Printing

BEGOTM VarseoSmileⓇ TriniQⓇ resin is ideal for provisional and permanent dental restorations, including dental crowns, dental bridges, inlays, onlays and veneers. Manufactured with a biocompatible, ceramic-filled material, it offers excellent precision and translucency, ensuring aesthetic and durable results. Its efficient workflow also makes it an ideal option for dental labs. Available in three VITA shades (A2, A3, B1) to adapt to each patient’s needs.

BEGOTM VarseoSmileⓇ TriniQⓇ resin is the first 3D printed resin indicated for permanent bridges of up to 3 units.

High-Precision, Aesthetic Dental Bridges

In our dental lab, we use 3D printing to manufacture high-precision, aesthetic dental bridges, ideal for implant-supported prosthesis cases and restorations on natural teeth. Thanks to this advanced technology, we achieve results that not only provide a perfect fit, but also deliver a natural aesthetic that adapts to the patient’s dental anatomy.

Before manufacturing the dental bridge, we send the digital design to the dentist for review and approval, ensuring that the treatment meets every expectation for quality and precision. This review process supports greater collaboration and satisfaction for both the dentist and the patient.

This protocol not only makes it possible to detect and correct errors before manufacturing, but also makes it easier to explain the case to the patient.

Below, we show an example video of the creation and fitting process for our 3D printed dental bridges.

Removable Dental Prostheses with Dental 3D Printing

Removable prostheses using the dental CAD-CAM system, the latest technology trend that substantially improves the design and quality of resin removable prostheses.

The first truly accessible dental prosthesis printed directly in 3D. The biocompatible Denture Base Resin and Denture Teeth Resin materials make it possible to produce 3D printed prostheses precisely and reliably.

Through a hybrid workflow protocol that combines traditional and digital practice, it is possible to create a full-arch removable dental prosthesis.

Dental Prosthesis: Full-Arch Bridges with Dental 3D Printing

3D full-arch bridges are ideal for provisional prostheses both on natural teeth and on dental implants. This advanced technology makes it possible to manufacture restorations that are precise, comfortable and aesthetically natural. In addition, 3D bridges are also used in removable prosthesis teeth, offering an effective, high-quality solution for dental rehabilitation. Each restoration is digitally customized to ensure a perfect fit and a realistic appearance, improving the patient experience.

How Our Dental Lab Works

At Smileep, we are a dental lab specialized in manufacturing dental prostheses with 3D printing technology. We offer innovative solutions for fixed, removable and hybrid prostheses, as well as implant-supported prostheses and restorations on natural teeth. We work closely with dentists, providing a digital workflow that makes it possible to design, review and manufacture custom restorations with millimetric precision. Discover how our advanced technology can optimize your dental practice and improve your patients’ experience.

How to make the move to digital dentistry starting with an intraoral scanner