3D Printing & Dentures

[middle.road]

Has anyone had any experience or exposure to 3D printing of dentures?
And yeah, I'm being serious unfortunately.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

no experience.
but from what i understand they have a printing process utilizing resin and then using UV light to cure

 

[eugene13]

great Idea

 

[middle.road]

Formlabs has this: https://dental.formlabs.com/blog/now-shipping-3d-printed-digital-dentures/
But I'm searching around for 'firsthand' accounts or experiences.
Looks promising, only thing I see so far is the limited amount of 'shades'.

 

[westerner]

And yeah, I'm being serious unfortunately.

Quite timely, my Good Man.
I am currently "in process". I am down to about 14 teeth left in my head, and their days are numbered.
My dentist has convinced me that the "old ways" were, and still are, the best ways. He is 10 years my junior, by the way.

I will allow him to build my dentures from casts and molds. He assures me that a truly accurate fit is not possible any other way.
The ads for "Walk out with a new smile, in ONE DAY" are a sacrifice to vanity. It is not possible to accurately measure the gums
until the swelling goes down, and the healing is complete.

Any attempt to manufacture a set of plates BEFORE that has occured is a waste of time, money and pain, in my humble opinion. YMMV.

 

[westerner]

I will present Beta test results in early spring. I have some affairs to get in order before I commit to 6-8 weeks with NO teeth at all.
The "loaner" set option (pre measured plates built BEFORE all your teeth came out, given to you on that day) is common, and most likely due to the fact most of us have a sense of vanity stronger than mine. Most insurance policies will not fund BOTH approaches. The loaner option requires a "reline" at some point after the healing is done, and at significant additional cost. I am committed to the "old school" approach. We shall see.
My "vanity" will not mind any questions along these lines (My, what big teeth HE has). LOLOL

 

[middle.road]

I will present Beta test results in early spring. I have some affairs to get in order before I commit to 6-8 weeks with NO teeth at all.
The "loaner" set option (pre measured plates built BEFORE all your teeth came out, given to you on that day) is common, and most likely due to the fact most of us have a sense of vanity stronger than mine. Most insurance policies will not fund BOTH approaches. The loaner option requires a "reline" at some point after the healing is done, and at significant additional cost. I am committed to the "old school" approach. We shall see.
My "vanity" will not mind any questions along these lines (My, what big teeth HE has). LOLOL

Final (14)? how's that for coincidence? I just had the last (14) of mine yanked on Monday. (ow)
I'm now enrolled in the Beta test program.
Didn't have much choice, two molars had crack roots and there was an infection to contend with.
I am now committed to the 6-week plan...
I chose not to go with the "immediate" plates (I think a better term would be "interim" or "vanity"), seems that insurance would cover those, but then it appears that you'd have to wait a "X#" of years to get the 'proper' set, so due to financial constraints I'm going for the 'Finals'.
Could not find a dentist willing to take impressions before the surgery, they all wanted to tie it into a set of plates, and I needed to do the plates in CY2020. Even at 80/20, the surgery chewed up all benefits for 2019.
I'm going to try to contact Formlabs just to see what other options they might be out there.
The WalkIn/WalkOut places are definitely not the way to go, from the folks I've talked to...
It's funny how Dentists are always hesitant to embrace newer technologies.

 

[westerner]

I'm now enrolled in the Beta test program.

Alrighty, then. It seems we have a common bone to chew. (Sorry, I could not resist)

I had a lengthy discussion with my Dentist. He made it clear to me that NO ONE, regardless of degree, experience or technology, could accurately measure your gums BEFORE the teeth came out. Seems obvious to me.

Hard numbers are this- I get a $2kish yearly benefit from insurance. The "vanity" option will cost North of $1500 more than the "final", or "Suck it up, Buttercup" version, which will still cost $3700. When I consider that a rebuild at 5-7 years down the road will cost $4k ish, it seems easy to decide on something that will fit well in the interim, and be a sound basis for the later reline.

My brother, one of my good friends, and more than a few "contemporaries" have chosen the "vanity" route. NONE of them fellers wear their dentures regularly, because they DON'T FIT, wont stay, and HURT. I have asked. They all say, "Only Special Occasions"??!!?

I will endure 6-8 weeks of "Hillbilly", to get a set that I can USE!

 

[MontanaLon]

I had a crown put in this last year on a molar. It was a procedure which was pretty barbaric and messy. With the advances in laser measurement and 3D modeling it would seem to be a place where much improvement in services can be realized for someone with a little creativity and knowledge.

In a past life, I did some work with UV curing resins and there is definitely some potential there.

But realistically, teeth are a tough material and ceramics are likely a better route.

 

[Jubil]

12 years ago my dentist did some impressions. Then 2 weeks later (I think), extracted 19 teeth and set in padded dentures. Pads stayed in a while. I don't remember how long. Then he removed the pads and I been wearing them ever since.
Was it painful? Yes, yes, yes I'm a whimp when it comes to pain.Next day was rough to say the least.
Would I do it again? Yes due to time involved.I don't know if he measured, or estimated, or guessed but I think he got close enough.
Sorry, I know this has nothing to do with 3d printing, just remembering.
Chuck