3D printed teeth: revolution in the study of dentistry in Würzburg!

3D printed teeth: revolution in the study of dentistry in Würzburg!

Dental prosthetics at the Würzburg University Hospital has made significant progress in the training of dental students. Innovative 3D printing technologies are used to create training teeth, providing learners with a realistic, fair and cost-effective way to practice various techniques in dentistry. This initiative comes at a time when students, who typically require around 300 practice teeth for their training, are benefiting from the challenges of using natural teeth from dental offices. These real teeth pose ethical, hygienic and legal problems, which underlines the need for alternatives. uni-wuerzburg.de reports that the university hospital has been producing its own training teeth since 2020. The first 3D printed tooth was created in 2019 based on an X-ray of a decayed tooth.

These 3D printed teeth are made from different materials to give students the best possible tactile feedback. The effects of using these training teeth are significant; A study in the Journal of Dental Education confirmed the high learning effect these models have. Assistant doctor Isabella Di Lorenzo has already examined the root canal treatment of a universal tooth, and her results were published in the journal Scientific Reports. The students also rated the 3D teeth as significantly better than conventional models.

Technological advancements

The latest developments in 3D printing offer exciting prospects for dentistry. Common manufacturing processes such as SLA or DLP are further refined, while the new 3D teeth simulate multiple materials and depict different treatment situations, such as endodontic or surgical procedures. Loud zm-online.de Training teeth can now be partially made from different parts, painted and filled with material to create even more realistic models for training.

Senior physician Dr. Michael del Hougne emphasizes that the 3D teeth offer a realistic training option, especially for electrical length measurement of the root canal. Future developments in 3D printing could include teeth with different root canal shapes, which would further increase students' flexibility and learning experience.

Recognition and outlook

The innovative work of the team from Würzburg was awarded the Albert Kölliker Teaching Prize in December 2023. This underlines the importance of their work in dental education. Dr. Lisanne Carnier has also published positive reviews of the printed tooth in the journal BMC Medical Education. In September 2024, successful test runs of a 3D printed tooth for adhesive bridges were demonstrated, representing further progress in this area.

Advances in CAD printing technology are providing dentistry with significant benefits. In a cohort study, Michael del Hougne examined the longevity of 3D printed temporary dental crowns, with 98% of the crowns surviving the study period without any major problems. The technological basis, supported by the DIN EN ISO standards as well as the important innovation analysis in the field of additive manufacturing processes, gives hope for a promising future in dentistry, which is characterized by creative and precise manufacturing processes zm-online.de emphasized.