FDA-cleared dental resin and 3D printer compress processing time and reduce costs for dental labs and patients.

Posted by Staff

February 10, 2023

2 Min Read
3D-printed dentures
Image courtesy of Stratasys

3D-printing pioneer Stratasys Ltd. has introduced TrueDent, the first monolithic, full-color 3D-printed permanent denture system. TrueDent, an FDA-cleared Class II dental resin, enables labs to create permanent, natural-looking gums with accurate tooth structure, shade, and translucency in one continuous print.

TrueDent is specifically designed for the fabrication of dental appliances, including removable dentures. The resin was developed to be printed exclusively with the Stratasys J5 DentaJet 3D printer and GrabCAD print software platform. The all-in-one system will allow dental labs to scale manufacturing by simplifying workflow and reducing processing time for dentures, while achieving a personalized, highly aesthetic dental appliance, said Stratasys.

TrueDent reportedly eliminates several barriers for patients and laboratories:

  • Reduced “chair time” for office visits, measurements, fittings, and adjustments;

  • high-fidelity match between scan, design, and fit;

  • scalable, repeatable digital solution for the consistent production of accurate, well-fitting dentures;

  • increased efficiency through streamlined workflow with less time between scan and delivery.

“Until now, printed dentures and appliances had to be designed and manufactured in multiple parts and bonded together,” said Frank Acosta, owner of AA Dental Design. “The TrueDent solution, utilizing Stratasys’ systems and software, takes out a lot of that stress. It simplifies the process, lowers the costs, and allows for dentures and temporaries to be produced much faster, achieving incredible aesthetics. We can now expand our prosthetic service printing multi-colored personalized appliance at scale,” said Acosta in a prepared statement.

The global dentures market has an estimated value of $5.5 billion, according to Stratasys. The sector is challenged, however, to meet rising global demand for dentures and appliances through conventional methods because of a shortage of skilled dental lab technicians. According to research from iData, more than 4.2 million full dentures were created in the United States in 2021, and 18 million full dentures were sold worldwide. Of that total, only 5% are estimated to be created via 3D printing. TrueDent offers a scalable alternative with a digital workflow that delivers a predictable, high-quality, fully finished result, said the company headquartered in Eden Prairie, MN, and Rehovot, Israel.

A TrueDent material reference guide can be downloaded from the Stratasys website.

Patent-pending TrueDent resin is currently available only in the United States and is only compatible with the Stratasys J5 DentaJet printer. The material will be unveiled at LMT Lab Day Chicago on Feb. 23 to 25, 2023.

Sign up for the Design News Daily newsletter.

You May Also Like