Šimunović Luka, Čimić Samir, Meštrović Senka
Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Dent J (Basel). 2025 Jul 10;13(7):312. doi: 10.3390/dj13070312.
Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a transformative technology in dental splint fabrication, offering significant advancements in customization, production speed, material efficiency, and patient comfort. This comprehensive review synthesizes the current literature on the clinical use, benefits, limitations, and future directions of 3D-printed dental splints across various disciplines, including prosthodontics, orthodontics, oral surgery, and restorative dentistry. Key 3D printing technologies such as stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), and material jetting are discussed, along with the properties of contemporary photopolymer resins used in splint fabrication. Evidence indicates that while 3D-printed splints generally meet ISO standards for flexural strength and wear resistance, their mechanical properties are often 15-30% lower than those of heat-cured PMMA in head-to-head tests (flexural strength range 50-100 MPa vs. PMMA 100-130 MPa), and study-to-study variability is high. Some reports even show significantly reduced hardness and fatigue resistance in certain resins, underscoring material-specific heterogeneity. Clinical applications reviewed include occlusal stabilization for bruxism and temporomandibular disorders, surgical wafers for orthognathic procedures, orthodontic retainers, and endodontic guides. While current limitations include material aging, post-processing complexity, and variability in long-term outcomes, ongoing innovations-such as flexible resins, multi-material printing, and AI-driven design-hold promise for broader adoption. The review concludes with evidence-based clinical recommendations and identifies critical research gaps, particularly regarding long-term durability, pediatric applications, and quality control standards. This review supports the growing role of 3D printing as an efficient and versatile tool for delivering high-quality splint therapy in modern dental practice.
三维（3D）打印已成为牙夹板制作中的一项变革性技术，在定制性、生产速度、材料效率和患者舒适度方面取得了重大进展。这篇综述综合了当前关于3D打印牙夹板在各个学科（包括口腔修复学、正畸学、口腔外科和牙体修复学）中的临床应用、益处、局限性及未来发展方向的文献。文中讨论了诸如立体光刻（SLA）、数字光处理（DLP）和材料喷射等关键3D打印技术，以及用于夹板制作的当代光聚合树脂的特性。有证据表明，虽然3D打印夹板通常符合弯曲强度和耐磨性的ISO标准，但在直接对比测试中，其机械性能往往比热固化聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯（PMMA）低15%-30%（弯曲强度范围为50-100兆帕，而PMMA为100-130兆帕），且不同研究之间的差异很大。一些报告甚至显示某些树脂的硬度和抗疲劳性显著降低，凸显了材料特定的异质性。综述的临床应用包括磨牙症和颞下颌关节紊乱的咬合稳定、正颌手术的手术导板、正畸保持器和牙髓治疗导板。虽然目前的局限性包括材料老化、后处理复杂以及长期结果的变异性，但持续的创新——如柔性树脂、多材料打印和人工智能驱动的设计——有望实现更广泛的应用。综述最后给出了基于证据的临床建议，并确定了关键的研究空白，特别是在长期耐久性、儿科应用和质量控制标准方面。这篇综述支持了3D打印在现代牙科实践中作为提供高质量夹板治疗的高效且通用工具的日益重要的作用。
