Comparison of Dental Stone Models and Their 3D Printed Acrylic Replicas for the Accuracy and Mechanical Properties.

Marta Czajkowska,Monika Wieczorek,Jarosław Markowski,Leopold Wagner,Eitan Mijiritsky,Wojciech Święszkowski,Ewa Walejewska,Łukasz Zadrożny

doi:10.3390/ma13184066

Abstract

This study was conducted to test possibilities of application of 3D printed dental models (DMs) in terms of their accuracy and physical properties. In this work, stone models of mandibles were cast from alginate impressions of 10 patients and scanned in order to obtain 3D printed acrylic replicas. The diagnostic value was tested as matching of model scans on three levels: peak of cusps, occlusal surface, and all teeth surfaces. The mechanical properties of acrylic and stone samples, specifically the impact strength, shore D hardness, and flexural and compressive strength were investigated according to ISO standards. The matching of models’ surfaces was the highest on the level of peaks of cusps (average lack of deviations, 0.21 mm) and the lowest on the level of all teeth surfaces (average lack of deviations, 0.64 mm). Acrylic samples subjected to mechanical testing, as expected, showed higher mechanical properties as compared to the specimens made of dental stone. In the present study we demonstrated that 3D printed acrylic models could be ideal representatives in the case of use as a diagnostic tool and as a part of medical records. The acrylic samples exhibited not only higher mechanical properties, but also showed better accuracy comparing to dental stone.

Highlights

The use of dental models (DM) requires an accurate diagnosis, appropriate planning and assessment of the treatment progress in different dental specialties
We propose that 3SP technology can be useful in fabrication of dental model substitutes and facilitate their storage as a part of medical records
The need to deploy new precise technologies in in the field of dentistry is in this case indisputable, and there are few literature references about the field of dentistry is in this case indisputable, and there are few literature references about new new methods of manufacturing orthodontic devices from thermoplastics utilizing a vacuum forming methods of manufacturing orthodontic devices from thermoplastics utilizing a vacuum forming method [16,17]

Summary

Introduction

The use of dental models (DM) requires an accurate diagnosis, appropriate planning and assessment of the treatment progress in different dental specialties. As dental models are widely used in the field of dentistry, there are many guidelines which they should fulfil. It needs to be highlighted that DMs should accurately mimic the anatomical structures, which will enable their proper fixation in the articulator for occlusal analysis. Apart from that, a DM should possess certain mechanical properties for prosthodontic and orthodontic device preparation and for their later storage as a part of medical records [1,2,3,4]. Plaster serves as a gold standard in the preparation of diagnostic models. The dental stone is classified as a third-class plaster, which has many advantages like availability and easy manufacture, leading to reduced production cost. Stone models can accurately mimic small anatomical details of hard and soft tissue such as occlusal surface features and spacing between the tooth and the gingiva

Results

Discussion

Conclusion