The first 3D Printing Factory had already started construction in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. The project started after the Fengdu county government of the municipality and the Hkable Biological 3D (China) Co Ltd, a joint venture between U.-based Hkable and local biotechnology company Jintai, signed a cooperation agreement on Tuesday. The factory is estimated to cost 50 million yuan ($7.5 million) and will produce human part molds to help with surgery for orthopedics, burns and dentistry, and artificial parts such as limbs.

Amos Dudley, a broke graduate student, designed his own orthodontics to correct his own teeth for which he used Stratasys Dimenstion 1200es. Obtaining the 3D Printer, he used retainer material Keystone Pro-Form .030 plastic purchased from eBay and finally made all of his aligner steps, as well as a riser, while eliminating ‘draping artifacts’ as well as saving time.

UFC and GuardLab, a New-York based company, have joined hands announcing a global licensing agreement to create custom mouthguards for fighters and fans using 3D Printing Technology. The product called ‘Mouthguard Revolution’ is 3D Printed on high-resolution 3D printers and the prices starts from $249 for adults or $150 for the under 18.

A 10-year Forecast and Opportunity Analysis report by Whatech has revealed that revenues from additive manufacturing (AM) in the dental sector have grown almost 12 percent since 2015 and the market is expected to see boom with development of 3D Printing Technology for researches like Custom Braces, Gums and Jaws Implants, etc. The report explains how development of new 3D printers, materials, and applications is the strongest targets for the development and how it is expected to grow in upcoming years.

Korean Central Television (KCTV) recently revealed some footages that showed Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, North Korea, giving demonstration of their own 3D printer to reporters, with the statement that it can print bone for dental and cosmetic surgery procedures. Apart from that, KCTV showed two documents they stated were a “patent of certification” and a certification of assessment from the “intellectual products exhibition”.

The strategy is part of a government push to make Dubai and the UAE a global hub for 3D printing technology by the year 2030. Research is already taking place into the mass production of 3D-printed teeth, hearing aids prosthetics and implants.

3D printing provides a high degree of laboratory rationalization as it can satisfy many different dental indications and is also cost-effective. Materials development is central to the adoption of 3D printing in new dental applications.

A group of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) are working on using an SLA 3D printing method to manufacture temporary teeth restorations. Temperature Controlled Mask image projection-based stereolithography (TCMIP-SL) processes use a set of horizontal planes to slice a 3D object, and each slice is converted into a 2D mask image. Then, a 2D patterned light beam, which is controlled by a digital micromirror device (DMD), is projected on the surface of a photocurable material, which is then cured layer by layer to build the 3D object.

A group of researchers from the Sri Rajiv Gandhi College of Dental Sciences & Hospital in Bangalore, India evaluated the marginal accuracy of Cobalt-Chromium copings (thin covering of the tooth’s crown portion) fabricated using DMLS, computer-aided milling, traditional casting, and ringless casting and comparatively analyze the marginal discrepancy. They used typodont resin model made of silicone impression material and 40 copings, for which they used 3D laser scanner from 3Shape to obtain an indirect impression of the tooth model, and then used the data to design the coping in 3Shape’s CAD software program, before they were 3D printed on an EOSINT M 270 3D printer from EOS.

A team of researchers, led by Dr. Wong from NUS National Centre for Oral Health, received a grant from the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC). With the grant received, the team worked towards creating a method for combining materials in order to create 3D printed impacted tooth models that include pulp, the pulp chamber, nearby nerves, and simulated periodontal ligaments, followed by mounting of the 3D printed model onto a mannequin head that features artificial cheeks. The 3D Printed Models of the Dentations will help the students practice the surgical procedures and thereby, boost the confidence for the real ones when the opportunity comes.

3D Systems has received FDA 510(k) Clearance for their Biocompatible Dental Material, NextDent Denture 3D+, developed for use on the NextDent 5100 3D printing platform. According to 3D Systems, combination with the NextDent C&B MFH material, which has been designed to print the teeth of a denture, users can save up to 90% in cost and 75% in time for producing the base of denture. The new material also possesses excellent mechanical properties in accordance with ISO Denture Base Standards and the comprehensive colour palette allows dental labs are able to match the printed product to the patient’s gums.