Abstract
To assess the suitability of several 3D-printed resins for the manufacturing of tooth replicas for endodontic training in comparison with commercially available replicas by analysing the properties of the materials and comparing them with real teeth during endodontic training. Tooth replicas were 3D-printed using four resins (NextDent Model, NextDent C&B, V-Print ee and Vero White Plus) and compared with two commercially available products (VDW and Smile Factory) as well as extracted human teeth. Martens hardness, indentation modulus and radiopacity were investigated on these tooth replicas. Experienced dentists evaluated the suitability of the replicas for endodontic training by comparing them with real teeth in terms of appearance, anatomy, radiopacity, similarity to dentine during access opening, canal gauging and canal instrumentation. Data were analysed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Mann-Whitney U-test. The greatest hardness values were recorded for human dentine (P<0.001), followed by V-Print ee and the commercial tooth replica of Smile Factory. The greatest radiopacity was associated with VOC and dentine (P<0.001) in comparison with the other materials tested. The appearance of the in-house printed tooth replicas was subjectively evaluated by the dentists as being more realistic than the commercially available products. No differences between the replicas was detected during mechanical instrumentation of root canals. None of the tooth replicas were able to simulate human dentine from the perspectives evaluated. V-Print ee had radiopacity comparable with dentine, but its hardness was not comparable with dentine.
Highlights
Endodontic procedures require dentists to become competent in a wide range of manual tasks
Tooth replicas may overcome these limitations as their appearance is realistic, they are standardized, and they can be ordered in large quantities
The commercially available tooth replicas and the extracted human teeth were cut in half with a handpiece along the cemento-enamel junction
Summary
Endodontic procedures require dentists to become competent in a wide range of manual tasks. Enabling dental students to perform high-quality root canal treatment, as stated by the undergraduate guidelines of the European Society of Endodontology (ESE 2013), is an essential goal of endodontic education, and students need Reymus et al Printed tooth replica: properties and suitability extensive practice on pre-clinical repetitive exercises (Sonntag et al 1997), typically achieved on extracted human teeth. These provide, by far, the most realistic training scenario. Tooth replicas may overcome these limitations as their appearance is realistic, they are standardized, and they can be ordered in large quantities
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