3D printer gets its teeth into dental modelling

Stratasys introduces the Objet260 Dental Selection 3D printer at the International Dental Show this week, in Cologne, Germany.

The 3D printer uses the company's triple-jetting technology to produce realistic models with realistic look and feel, including intra-oral scanners. It can build diverse models with multiple materials on one tray, in one print job, increasing productivity.

Stefan Remplbauer, general manager of Austria-based 3DMedicalPrint, says: "We are using the Objet260 Dental Selection 3D Printer to produce realistic 3D printed gingiva masks and models we couldn't do before. We have not had 3D printed dental models that so closely resemble the actual teeth and gums".

The printer is able to produce life-like gum textures for precise functional testing, as well as a range of shades for customised, colour matching.

It is compatible with all PolyJet dental materials, and dental-specific material palettes to produce life-like colours and textures for teeth and gums. This allows users to use a single system for implant testing to models with rigid features that require gum-like materials, reducing equipment costs. Labs can print surgical guides directly from CBCT scan data, with high-definition tooth, root and nerve-canal anatomy rendered in contrasting materials to help prevent dental nerve injury.