At Stratasys, we know that our dental customers need a highly accurate, aesthetic, and reliable solution for dentures that both dentists and patients can trust. We developed TrueDent, the first FDA cleared (Class II) resin made for 3D printing of full and partial monolithic permanent dentures and temporary crowns and bridges, to streamline the creation of prosthetics for dental laboratories, dentists, and patients.
TrueDent dentures are a full-color, single continuous 3D print of both the denture base and teeth. The Stratasys J5 DentaJet, powered by PolyJet technology, pairs with TrueDent resin to deliver natural looking gums and to mimic tooth structure, with optimal translucency and the options to print in 16 classic tooth shades, two premium translucency shades, and 10 base shades. With TrueDent, dental labs are able to level up production of multicolored dental appliances in one print job on a single, high-capacity tray.
As the Clinical Solution Manager for Stratasys Dental, I have the opportunity to discuss TrueDent with dentists, prosthodontists, and clinicians. These are the most common questions that I receive about TrueDent dentures:
Approximately half of all dental labs in the US offer dentures, and most still use the traditional method of producing dentures, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. However, a growing number of labs are transitioning to digital workflows, such as milling or 3D printing, which offer several advantages, including more accuracy, higher production speed, and increased reproducibility.
TrueDent 3D-printed monolithic dentures offer additional advantages including higher accuracy, which results in better fitting dental appliances and can reduce the need for relining and adjustments.
All other 3D printing technologies and most milled dentures require manual assembly of the teeth to the denture base, which may cause inaccuracies to stem from the bonding of teeth and base. Since TrueDent is printed in one continuous print, in the finished print there is higher fidelity between the impression, the design, and the final appliance. TrueDent eliminates any occurrence of teeth debonding, achieving better occlusal accuracy and demonstrating a better fit of the denture base intaglio to the Alveolar bone. This means less post-denture insertion adjustments, like relining and pressure points removal.
Dentures can lose their grip in the mouth over time and begin to cause discomfort for patients, making it necessary to reline the denture to ensure a proper fit.
In our internal studies, we learned that TrueDent dentures may be repaired and relined with commonly used materials in either a dental lab or a dental clinic.
Examples of relining materials that we have successfully tested:
In case repairs are needed, any auto-polymerizing resin or cold-cure acrylics that are common in the lab and in the dental clinic can be used.
No, an intra-oral scanner is not required for prescribing TrueDent dentures. Traditional impressions can be taken by the dentist, which will then be cast and scanned in the lab to create a 3D dental CAD/CAM STL file.
Intra-oral scanners are becoming increasingly popular, as they can provide a more accurate and efficient way to capture patient data. However, they are not always effective for edentulous cases. The decision of whether to use an intra-oral scanner or traditional impressions will depend on the individual dentist's preferences and the needs of the patient.
