3D PRINTING IN PROSTHODONTICS: ACCURACY ASSESSMENT AND FABRICATION OF HIGH-PRECISION DENTAL MODELS

Hamidi Fouad, Hocine Hossam, Florin-Octavian Froimovici, Vlad-Gabriel Vasilescu, Ana Maria Tancu, Marina Imre, Lucian Toma Ciocan

ABSTRACT

Aim of the study:
This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the dimensional accuracy of 3D printed working models used in dental applications, by comparing three different 3D printers: Planmeca Creo C5, Xprint, and Anycubic Photon Mono X 6Ks. The primary goal is to assess the clinical feasibility of each device in producing precise dental models for full coverage crowns.

Materials and methods:
A digital reference model was created via high-resolution extraoral scanning using the PlanScan Lab scanner. This reference model was then printed using three target printers. Each printed model underwent a standardized post-processing protocol involving washing with Form Wash L machine and dual-wavelength UV curing with Twin Cure V system. STL files were analyzed using CloudCompare software through superimposition with the reference model, followed by fine registration and deviation mapping. The raw data, exported as histograms, were further processed with a custom C++ program designed to quantify deviation distributions using Gaussian, sigmoid, linear, and strict threshold-based methods. This allowed precise evaluation of each printer’s performance against sub-millimetric tolerance ranges (0.2 mm to 0.5 mm).

Results:
Xprint exhibited the highest accuracy, with 91.19% of surface points within the 0.2 mm threshold, increasing to 98.57% at 0.5 mm. Anycubic showed moderate performance, with 84.4% of points within 0.2 mm and over 96% above 0.3 mm. Planmeca Creo C5 demonstrated limited precision, with only 47.75% within 0.2 mm and clinically acceptable accuracy reached only beyond 0.4 mm. These results indicate significant variability in dimensional fidelity between printing systems.

Conclusions:
Among the evaluated printers, Xprint is best suited for applications demanding high precision, such as full coverage crowns well adapted to preparation margine line. Anycubic is adequate for conventional prosthodontics and orthodontic appliances where tolerances above 0.3 mm are clinically acceptable. Planmeca Creo C5, while less accurate, remains viable for diagnostic models, provisional restorations, and educational use. These findings underscore the importance of aligning printer capabilities with the clinical requirements of each dental application. The integration of software-based analysis and statistical modeling enhances decision-making in digital dentistry, supporting optimized clinical outcomes.

DOI : 10.62610/RJOR.2025.3.17.3