Beyond Early Adoption

In last year's special issue on technology, our cover story, The Race for the Crown, explored how the use of 3D printing in dentistry had finally evolved from the fabrication of models, appliances, surgical guides, etc, to the fabrication of final crowns made from hybrid ceramic 3D printing resins. Fast-forward a year to today, and it's apparent that this technology has really taken off with more materials available, more research being conducted, and more dentists printing crowns. For Inside Dentistry's 2023 special issue on technology, the exploration of 3D printing continues with an article on its applications in routine clinical dentistry, a CE on 3D printed hybrid ceramic permanent restorations, and a case report in which a 3D printed immediate provisional is delivered following partial extraction therapy and immediate implant placement.

Presently, I don't have a 3D printer, but I'm looking to acquire one in the next 6 months or so. I was an early adopter of in-office milling technology and intraoral scanning. Those experiences taught me that technology had to compliment my workflow for me to use it, so I initially held off on 3D printing because I wasn't sure how I wanted to incorporate it into my practice. Today, the reduced cost of the printers and the increased strength of the materials are big incentives, but the real draw is the design services offered by laboratories, which have the potential to improve some of my workflows. Being able to receive a file and print a restoration in an hour instead of waiting 24 hours or longer for the laboratory to fabricate it and ship it to you offers benefits beyond improved productivity. For example, you can easily reprint a prosthesis if it fractures.

3D printing is past the early adoption phase and has a lot of applications, but remember, what is right for another practice might not be right for yours. If you want to realize a return on your investment, you need to investigate and figure out how you're going to use it and be profitable before you invest. To help you with that investigation, and those of other technologies, this year's issue also includes charts with product specifications for devices from dozens of manufacturers. You can browse and compare options to help guide your decision-making for whatever technology that you're looking to acquire!

Robert C. Margeas, DDS
Editor-in-Chief, Inside Dentistry
Private Practice • Des Moines, Iowa
Adjunct Professor
Department of Operative Dentistry
University of Iowa • Iowa City, Iowa
robert.margeas@broadcastmed.com