By Digital Smile Design
⋅ min read
⋅ 6 Mar 2023
Highlights from the 3D Printing Roundtable discussion
On 23 January 2023, DSD Founder and CEO, Christian Coachman, was delighted to co-host a 3D Printing Virtual Roundtable in collaboration with Formlabs Dental. In this highly informative session, Christian was joined by George Cabanas, DSD Research and Development Manager, as well as Formlabs Dental dentist Dr Elisa Praderi and DSD Clinic owners Dr Sheena Sood and Dr Viorela Bauer. Together, they explored the features, advantages and workflows of in-house 3D printers and the applications of this technology in their own dental clinics.
Making the switch to 3D Printing
DSD’s recent partnership with Formlabs Dental has been a source of pride for both organizations, allowing us to focus on developing solutions to make the life of dental professionals easier. Through this roundtable, our aim was to explore the learning curve faced by clinicians and clinic owners who want to get started with 3D printing, and how they can bring this technology in house.
Based on years of experience with Formlabs Dental printers, the panel began with a deep dive on the features involved in comparing and choosing a 3D printer and which factor is critical for easing the learning curve, as well as the overall benefits of in-house printers for chair-side workflows in dental clinics. Together with Dr Praderi, DSD Clinic owners Dr Sood of Ironwood Dental Care and Dr Bauer from Bauer Dental Center offered insight into their own successful experience with making the switch to in-house 3D printers:
“We became a DSD clinic in 2020 and we just moved to a new practice and then decided to go 100% digital. We actually do not even have room for stone or the alginate impressions. We completely got rid of everything, so we just jumped all in. We started printing right away. Yes, at the beginning, we would print it the wrong way, but the supports were there. That took a little bit of time, but then once they figured it out, it’s very fast. In a month or two we were printing everything”. - Dr Viorela Bauer
The panel also went in depth on topics such as why the Formlabs Dental printers work so well in clinics, the differences between in-house and outsourcing, and what a team needs to run the ideal 3D printing workflow. George Cabanas, an engineer who's been working in dentistry for over 20 years, has pioneered 3D printing with big labs and has been leading the process of helping doctors bring this process in-house. He took us through his list of the most important factors for comparison when considering which 3D printer to invest in: from type and price to speed and accuracy. The factor of support was discussed among the dentists as a vital aspect to consider, as it relates directly to how quickly and efficiently clinic teams can learn and problem solve.
Christian also showcased models of what could be 3D-printed as well as the differences when outsourced versus when they are made in-house. Some of these examples included shells, surgical guides, night guards, and digital dentures.
Meanwhile, Dr Sood and Dr Viorela offered insight into the positive changes their clinics have undergone after having their teams train with, and continue to have the support from, Formlabs Dental specialists and George, as well as the impact it has had on their patients:
“I am not trained to print. My staff took the training, they learned everything, they do it all. The best thing about Formlabs Dental is the support, because if we have a question, we have a problem, we can call Formlabs and someone would guide them through every issue that they had. My staff is very comfortable with them and that interaction is a huge bonus for me”. - Dr Sheena Sood
Your 3D printing questions answered
The roundtable was well attended by a great number of participants who took the opportunity to ask the panel a range of questions related to 3D printing. Questions answered during the discussion included:
How much space do you need for a 3D printer in your clinic?
What exactly can be printed in the dental office?
How important is biocompatibility for guided dentistry today?
How long does it take to print a surgical guide?
What is better and faster: printing or milling?
DSD and Formlabs Dental
DSD will continue to create value added content with Formlabs Dental as part of their partnership with the goal of educating dentists on 3D printing and giving them tips and advice from experienced users who take advantage of this technology to streamline workflows and deliver the best outcomes for patients.
If you’re thinking of incorporating 3D printing in your in-house clinic workflows, watch the replay to get all our panel’s tips and advice on how to implement this technology with success.
