IndiPrint
Project title
IndiPrint [01IF23188N] - Automatic chairside individualization of monolithic ceramic dental restorations
IndiPrint is a collaborative project between the Institute of Micro Technology and Medical Device Technology (MIMED), the Polyclinic for Dental Prosthetics at the University of Munich (LMU), and the Institute for Laser Technologies in Medicine and Metrology at the University of Ulm (ILM). The specific contributions of each partner are visualized below.
Goal
Automation of the coloring process of monolithic ceramic dental restorations.
This includes:
- Replicating the natural color gradient of the tooth crown
- Printing of tooth features such as white spots, mamelons and enamel cracks
- Covering with a thin coat of glaze
Contact
Robin Schregle, M.Sc. (wiss. Mitarbeiter)
Application
- Monolithic ceramic restorations are beneficial regarding aesthetics and biocompatibility (compared to e.g. full cast crowns form non-precious or precious metals)
- Monolithic ceramic dental restorations need to be colored to meet the highest aesthetic demands (e.g., anterior teeth)
Research topic
State of the art
Manual individualization by dental technicians:
- Starting point are dentures made from glass ceramic blocks, pellets or (multilayer) round blanks
- Stains and glaze containing ceramic particles are applied by hand with a brush
- One ore multiple firings are performed to harden the stains and glaze
Drawbacks of the State of the Art
- Manual individualization is time consuming and costly, limiting accessibility to a broader patient population (e.g., crown cost: full-cast NPM 300-500 €, all-ceramic 700-1000 €)
- Results depend on the skills of the dental technician
- Individualization is usually done in a dental laboratory, therefore more appointments and additional visits are required
Drawbacks of the State of the Art
- Manual individualization is time consuming and costly, limiting accessibility to a broader patient population (e.g., crown cost: full-cast NPM 300-500 €, all-ceramic 700-1000 €)
- Results depend on the skills of the dental technician
- Individualization is usually done in a dental laboratory, therefore more appointments and additional visits are required
Concept
Our contribution focuses on the technical realization of the coloring process. Three main aspects to realize this process have been identified: scanning (of the dental restauration within the workspace), positioning (of a toolhead relative to the restauration) and dispensing (of ceramic stains and glaze).
A high level process description can be seen in the picture below.
Current Results
Initial developments for each individual component have been successfully realized and must now be integrated in an overall system.
Funding
