Dental 3D Printing

In alveolar ridge augmentation, CAD/CAM and printing can be used to customise a graft. That application is the specific dental use linked with a reduction in surgical time.

A printed resin is not judged by shape alone. Its biological compatibility and mechanical properties need assessment, and further research is needed on long-term biological and clinical implications.

Additive printing is one manufacturing approach for oral appliances. The materials review compares it with subtractive CAD-CAM techniques and conventional methods rather than treating printing as the only route.

For ridge augmentation, the patient-facing point is the possibility of a custom graft made through digital manufacturing. The reported benefit in that setting is less surgical time, not a different surgical purpose.

Safety depends in part on the resin used for a prosthesis, orthodontic device, or other component. Biocompatibility testing and material engineering remain relevant because potential biological risks need examination.