This might be a simple concept that most doctors would consider, but I wanted to bring it up here because I think it's important plus, for many doctors 3D printing is a fairly new concept. However, it's one that is going to become a bigger and bigger part of what we do. Even if you are scanning and sending to a lab, I think it's important to know what resin the lab is using to print 3D dentures or if they offer choices to the clinician.
As the profession moves more and more into in-office fabricated prosthetics and appliances, materials will still matter. When dealing with crowns, most doctors will prescribe zirconia or gold on a second molar in a patient who exhibits wear from clenching and/or grinding and does not sleep with an occlusal guard. That decision is made taking into account many factors, one of which is how durable zirconia and gold are.
3D resins require similar considerations. Not all 3D printing resins exhibit the same characteristics or wear rates. So it pays to do a little research before making a decision. In the early days of 3D printing dentures, resins were more susceptible to breakage, but that issue has been dealt with. However, depending on the chemical constituency of the resin, some will wear more readily than others. In making decisions on a case, a good literature review and contacting the manufacturer are smart choices to make.
Along that same line, a recent study in the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry has looked at occlusal wear of three different 3D printed resins. They were compared to PMMA and natural enamel. In that study, two of the resins showed similar wear while one showed a bit more.
If you're interested in this and would like to read the abstract, you can find that here. The full article is available for purchase as well.
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