IADR Abstract Archives
3D-printing of zirconia dental implants fabricated using digital light processing
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the dimensional accuracy and surface topography of 3D-printed zirconia dental implant.
Methods: A custom one-piece dental implant was designed and 3D-printed in TZ-3YS-E using a digital light processing (DLP) technique. The size of build platform was 53.58 × 95.25mm and the layer thickness was 30µm. The dimensional accuracy was assessed using the digital-subtraction technique; the digital file of the scanned printed implant (test model) was superimposed with the STL file of the designed implant (reference model) using Geomagic® studio; 2014. The average deviation and the root mean square estimate (RMSE) were calculated and the resultant color map was assessed. The surface topography and surface roughness were evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and confocal microscopy respectively. Surface roughness was quantitatively measured by arithmetic mean value of the profile (Ra), root mean square average of the profile RMS (Rq). An evaluation length of 0.09mm profile was defined, randomly distributed over the screw part of the implant (n=10).
Results: The printed implant was dimensionally accurate with a RMSE value of 0.1mm. The average deviations were 0.089mm and -0.129mm homogenously distributed along the length of the printed implant as evident by the assessment of the color map. SEM analysis showed cracks, micro-porosities and interconnected pores ranging in size from 196nm to 3.3μm. Surface roughness showed a mean Ra of 1.59 (±0.41)μm and Rq of 1.94 (±0.47)μm.
Conclusions: DLP prove to be efficient for printing customized zirconia dental implants with sufficient dimensional accuracy and surface roughness. However, optimization of the 3D-printing process is still needed to enhance the microstructure of the printed objects.
Methods: A custom one-piece dental implant was designed and 3D-printed in TZ-3YS-E using a digital light processing (DLP) technique. The size of build platform was 53.58 × 95.25mm and the layer thickness was 30µm. The dimensional accuracy was assessed using the digital-subtraction technique; the digital file of the scanned printed implant (test model) was superimposed with the STL file of the designed implant (reference model) using Geomagic® studio; 2014. The average deviation and the root mean square estimate (RMSE) were calculated and the resultant color map was assessed. The surface topography and surface roughness were evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and confocal microscopy respectively. Surface roughness was quantitatively measured by arithmetic mean value of the profile (Ra), root mean square average of the profile RMS (Rq). An evaluation length of 0.09mm profile was defined, randomly distributed over the screw part of the implant (n=10).
Results: The printed implant was dimensionally accurate with a RMSE value of 0.1mm. The average deviations were 0.089mm and -0.129mm homogenously distributed along the length of the printed implant as evident by the assessment of the color map. SEM analysis showed cracks, micro-porosities and interconnected pores ranging in size from 196nm to 3.3μm. Surface roughness showed a mean Ra of 1.59 (±0.41)μm and Rq of 1.94 (±0.47)μm.
Conclusions: DLP prove to be efficient for printing customized zirconia dental implants with sufficient dimensional accuracy and surface roughness. However, optimization of the 3D-printing process is still needed to enhance the microstructure of the printed objects.