Country/region and language selection

What is metal 3D dental printing and which procedures are available?

From casting to milling to 3D printing: the history of the development of metal processing is also reflected in dental technology. Metal dental dentures, created with the casting technique, are now made using 3D printers.  The procedure is even quicker and more affordable than when using milling technology. The dental industry  has different metal 3D printing solutions for the additive manufacturing of dentures at its disposal.  Using powder, the laser creates new workpieces layer by layer using the laser metal fusion  technique (LMF). This procedure, also called selective laser melting (SLM) or powder bed fusion (PBD), is used in the highly precise manufacturing of implant-supported dental prostheses, for example. All in all, it is easy to implement a variety of individual geometries.  Separation between pontics is eliminated, a milling radius correction is no longer necessary. The advantage: more  space in important areas. Furthermore, retentions for plastic veneers and undercuts can be created effortlessly.

What are the advantages of metal 3D printing in dental technology?

Faster, more affordable and new dental indications  thanks to a hybrid  process chain. The investment in additive manufacturing is worthwhile for dental laboratories in many respects.

Customized dental prostheses - manufactured in series

Many individual  geometries can be implemented easily and productively with powder-based laser metal fusion (LMF).  Functions such as Multilaser or Multiplate ensure efficient production of customized dental components.

Obtaining a quicker result

A dental 3D printer produces dental prostheses much more quickly than conventional methods such as milling technologies. But metal 3D printers do not just benefit  production, preparation is also much quicker thanks to the digital process chain. This means that  dental technicians can work with digital data records transmitted to dental laboratories in real time. Thanks to digital molding, there are no plaster casts or silicone imprints.

Wide indication spectrum

With dental 3D printing, you can produce  a large number of dental indications precisely, saving materials at the same time. Thanks to the  digital connection of the TruPrint systems with milling machines, indications such as implant-supported crowns and bridges, telescopic crowns and secondary parts can be produced economically within a hybrid procedure. In this case, we truly see the benefits of direct printing of individual single abutments on special base parts (preforms) made of titanium or cobalt-chromium.

Less material, higher quality

As the 3D printer only processes as much metal powder as it actually needs, users save material and money. At the same time, the sustainable use of materials  such as cobalt-chromium is beneficial to the environment. Excess powder can simply be reused after the printing process. 3D printers can ideally develop complex geometries such as corners and edges within the smallest amount of space. This means  that dental technicians can increase the quality of their manufactured parts significantly.

Economical production within the hybrid process

Thanks to open interfaces, the 3D printer can be ideally integrated in the existing  CAD/CAM process chains. The result is that dental laboratories do not have to convert their entire system. The advantages of this hybrid workflow: shorter production times, lower costs.

3D dental printing in metal - questions and answers

How many dental components fit on one substrate plate (Ø 100 mm)?

Depending on the shape, up to 100 crowns can be fitted onto one standard plate (diameter: approx. 100 mm).

How long does it take to print a full build plate (Ø 100 mm) with crowns and bridges?

A build plate  with approximately 100 crowns is printed in around three hours using a double laser. A single laser needs approximately five hours.

How many removable partial dentures (RPD) fit on a TruPrint 2000 build plate?

Up to 30 RPDs 

How long does it take to print a fully loaded build plate (200 x 200 mm) with removable partial dentures (RPDs)?

A build plate with 30 RPDs is printed in around four hours using a double laser. Thus the print duration per RPD is about 8 minutes.  

Which applications can be implemented with a metal 3D printer?

Crowns, bridges, separators and superstructures as well as all implant-supported objects such as single abutments, telescopic crowns, primary and secondary parts, orthodontic parts, cast metal partial dentures and  partial prostheses can be produced with additive manufacturing.

Which material is used for 3D printing of dentures?

Cobalt-chromium and titanium can be effortlessly processed by a 3D printer. Thanks to the open system architecture, there are generally no restrictions concerning the material used. In addition, plug-and-play solutions facilitate a simple and quick start for many powders.

How much space will I need for my 3D printer in the laboratory?

It is very easy to set up 3D printers in dental laboratories. They fit through a normal standard door and in an elevator. They do not need any compressed air and are operated with normal electric power (230V). One machine weighs  650 kg (including powder).

Do I need a gas connection to operate the 3D printer?

TruPrint 1000 and TruPrint 2000 operate with gas cylinders.

Book an appointment for our AM Showroom now – in person or online!

Immerse yourself in the additive future of the dental sector with our industry experts, and experience our machines live in action! Or take advantage of an online machine presentation in our Virtual AM Showroom.

Register now

Hybrid workflow

Hybrid workflow: how to prepare your dental production for the future

Linking up with the milling machine is an important milestone on the journey to automated series production in dental technology .

Find out more
Service & contact