Fabricating a digital custom tray and interim complete denture base: A dental technique.

High-quality impressions and accurate occlusal relationship records are essential for the success of complete dentures. A custom impression tray and interim complete denture base fabricated by computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) are introduced, enhancing the ability to obtain precise definitive impressions and accurate jaw relation records and improving complete denture treatment.

Feasibility study and material selection for powder-bed fusion process in printing of denture clasps.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The retention of selective laser melting (SLM)-built denture clasps is inferior to that of cast cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) clasps engaging 0.01-in undercuts, which are commonly used in clinical practice. Either the clasps engage in excessively deep undercuts or inappropriate printing process parameters are applied. With appropriate undercut engagement and levels of process parameters, the retention of SLM-built clasps (including Co-Cr, commercially pure titanium [CP Ti], and Ti alloy [Ti-6Al-4V] ones) may be comparable to that of cast Co-Cr clasps. Therefore, this feasibility study aimed to evaluate their retention to guide dentists during material selection for the powder-bed fusion process during the printing of denture clasps. METHODS: We engaged the clasp arm at an appropriate undercut depth (0.01 or 0.02 in), built clasps at the orientation of their longitudinal axes approximately parallel to the build platform, generated square prism support structures at a critical overhang angle of 30°, applied optimized laser parameters (laser power, scan speed, and hatch space), and adopted annealing treatment for Co-Cr, CP Ti, and Ti-6Al-4V clasps. After postprocessing and accuracy measurement, an insertion/removal test of the clasps for 15,000 cycles was performed to simulate 10 years of clinical use, and the retentive force was recorded every 1500 cycles. Permanent deformation of the retentive arms of the clasps was measured. Cast Co-Cr clasps engaging 0.01-in undercuts were designated the control group. RESULTS: The initial retentive forces of the SLM-built Co-Cr clasps engaging 0.01-in undercuts and CP Ti and Ti-6Al-4V clasps engaging 0.02-in undercuts were comparable to those of the control group. SLM-built Co-Cr clasps engaging 0.01-in undercuts and Ti-6Al-4V clasps engaging 0.02-in undercuts had similar final retentive force and less permanent deformation compared with those of the control group; SLM-built CP Ti clasps engaging 0.02-in undercuts had lower final retentive force and greater permanent deformation. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the long-term retention and permanent deformation of the retentive arms, Co-Cr and Ti-6Al-4V alloys, except CP Ti, are recommended for printing denture clasps. SLM-built Co-Cr clasps should engage 0.01-in undercuts, and Ti-6Al-4V clasps should engage 0.02-in undercuts.

Design parameters of polylactic acid custom trays manufactured by fused deposition modeling for partial edentulism: Consideration of the accuracy of the definitive cast.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The effects of design parameters of polylactic acid (PLA) custom trays manufactured by fused deposition modeling (FDM) on the accuracy of partially edentulous definitive casts have not been thoroughly explored. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to explore the effects of the impression gap and base thickness of FDM-printed PLA custom trays on the accuracy of maxillary and mandibular definitive casts with Kennedy class II, modification I partial edentulism and to optimize these 2 design parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Custom trays with a 1-mm, 2-mm, or 3-mm impression gap and 1-mm, 1.5-mm, or 2-mm base thickness were designed on a pair of maxillary and mandibular resin casts and printed with PLA materials by using an FDM printer. Two-step silicone impressions were made by using these custom trays or stock metal trays on resin casts. Digital scans of definitive casts from these impressions were aligned one by one with those of resin casts. Three-dimensional deviations of the tooth area, mucosal area, and overall area were analyzed by using root mean square (RMS) as a metric. Two-way and 1-way analyses of variance with the RMSs as the dependent variable were carried out (α=.05). RESULTS: The accuracy of definitive casts from custom trays with a 2.0-mm or 3.0-mm impression gap and 1.5-mm or 2.0-mm base thickness was significantly better than that of definitive casts from custom trays with a 1.0-mm impression gap or 1.0-mm base thickness and was not significantly different from that of definitive casts from stock metal trays. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the accuracy of definitive casts, the optimal base thickness of FDM-printed PLA custom trays was 1.5 mm or 2.0 mm and the optimal impression gap was 2.0 mm or 3.0 mm for Kennedy class II, modification I partial edentulism.