Influences of build angle on the accuracy, printing time, and material consumption of additively manufactured surgical templates.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Although desktop stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers and photopolymerizing resin have been used increasingly in dentistry to manufacture surgical templates, studies investigating their clinical application are lacking.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of build angle on the accuracy, printing time, and material consumption of additively manufactured surgical templates made with a desktop SLA 3D printer and photopolymerizing resin material.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Fifty surgical templates were fabricated from 1 master digital design file using a desktop SLA 3D printer and photopolymerizing resin material at 5 different build angles (0, 30, 45, 60, and 90 degrees) (n=10). All surgical templates were digitized and superimposed with the master design file using best-fit alignment in the surface matching software program. Dimensional differences between the sample files and the original master design files were compared, and the mean deviations were measured in the root mean square (measured in mm, representing accuracy). The printing time and resin consumption for each specimen were recorded based on the information in the 3D printing preparation software program. ANOVA and the Fisher least significant difference (LSD) test were used to estimate the effects of build angles on the root mean square, printing time, and resin consumption (α=.05 for all tests).

RESULTS

The groups 0 degree (0.048 ±0.007 mm) and 45 degrees (0.053 ±0.012 mm) had statistically significant lower root mean square values when compared with those of groups 30 degrees (0.067 ±0.009 mm), 60 degrees (0.079 ±0.016 mm), and 90 degrees (0.097 ±0.017 mm) (P<.001 for all comparisons, except P=.003 for groups 30 degrees versus 45 degrees). The group 90 degrees had statistically significant higher root mean square values than all other groups (P<.001 for all comparisons, except P=.010 when compared with the group 60 degrees). For the printing time, the group 0 degree required significantly less printing time than all other groups (hour:minute, 1:26 ±0:03, P<.001 for all comparisons). The group 90 degrees required significantly more printing time than all other groups (2:52 ±0:06, P<.001 for all comparisons). For resin consumption, the groups 0 degree (11.58 ±0.21 mL), 30 degrees (11.32 ±0.16 mL), and 45 degrees (11.23 ±0.16 mL) consumed similar amounts of resin. However, there was statistical significance between groups 0 degree and 45 degrees (P=.016). The group 90 degrees consumed the significantly least amount of resin (9.86 ±0.40 mL, P<.001 for all comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

With a desktop SLA 3D printer, the 0-degree and 45-degree build angles produced the most accurate surgical template, and the 90-degree build angle produced the least accurate surgical template. The 0-degree build angle required the shortest printing time but consumed the most resin in the printing process. The 90-degree build angle required the longest printing time but consumed the least amount of resin in the printing process.