How to Choose a Dental 3D Printer for Your Practice or Lab

For dental practices, print speed can be the difference between providing a solution during an appointment versus a day or more later. For labs, it’s important to consider both speed and throughput. While speed can equate to more prints in less time, variables including post-processing time and labor required will impact throughput. 

Both DLP and MSLA 3D printers expose the entire layer at once. This means print speed is uniform regardless of how many parts are on the build platform and depends only on the height of the parts in the Z-axis. Laser SLA 3D printers utilize a single laser to draw out each part. Generally, this means they can be slower when printing a densely covered print platform.

However, there’s a trade-off between resolution and build volume for DLP printers. A small DLP 3D printer might be able to print fast, but you can only fit a few models on the build platform. A different machine with a larger build volume might be able to print more parts, but only at a lower resolution, which means that it might not be accurate enough for printing restorative models or surgical guides that require higher accuracy.

MSLA printers combine build volume and speed, allowing dental professionals to have the best of both worlds. LFD technology takes this one step further, combining speed and accuracy across the build platform in one machine. With the LFD Print Engine of  Form 4 Generation printers, surface accuracy is over 95% of data points within 50 μm of the original CAD data consistent across the build platform – while being able to print 11 models in nine minutes on Form 4B, and 32 models in 14 minutes on Form 4BL.

Another important consideration, especially for dental labs, is whether to fulfill capacity with a single printer or multiple printers. Production with printer fleets often reduces upfront costs compared to larger-format machines. By buying one machine at first, labs can test out production methods before ultimately scaling up production with demand. 

This provides the opportunity to pay for production only when it is needed, rather than making large, long-term investments in a rapidly evolving market. Printer fleets with multiple printers also empower the printing of multiple different indications, and different materials, at once, and reduce risk through redundancy. If one machine needs servicing, production can be balanced across the rest of the printer fleet.

Printer fleet management can also be automated, minimizing touchpoints and freeing up workers for higher-value tasks. For example, Formlabs’ Fleet Control enables automatic print-to-printer assignment, streamlined queueing, and optimized workflow management. In a lab setting, this allows multiple users to collaborate, adding, duplicating, and prioritizing prints across an entire fleet of printers.

For dental and orthodontic labs with high-throughput needs, large-format dental 3D printers can print more models or appliances in each build, minimizing user interactions for efficient production. Batching prints also makes for less time spent post-processing.

For example, three batches of 11 models on Form 4B would require staff to remove the build platform and post-process three times, for a total of 33 models. In comparison, printing 32 models on Form 4BL would batch all the models together, requiring only one interaction with the printer to remove the build platform and post-process models.

Many labs find that one application is printed at higher volumes than others, often models. If this is the case, it’s worth considering the cost-savings and labor efficiency of purchasing a large-format 3D printer exclusively for printing this high-volume application.

Automating 3D printing is becoming an increasingly attractive option for dental labs, as well as for dental practices that want the ability to print multiple batches of prints without interacting with the printer. With the slower print speeds of some dental 3D printers, the addition of automation, such as the Formlabs Automation Ecosystem, enables  24/7 production, as hardware removes prints from the Build Platform 2 and starts the next print. However, the high-throughput and blazing speeds of Form 4BL enable even more production volume in a single work day than printing for 24 hours.

When comparing a printer to an automated solution, it’s important to look at the number of prints in both a 24-hour period and when printing 24/7, all while factoring in the labor required to print on a printer without automation.

For example, a printer with automation hardware can print for an entire weekend without needing worker interactions. By contrast, printing 11 dental models in nine minutes on a faster printer would require a worker to remove parts from a build platform and replace the platform before the next print begins. Depending upon your unique business requirements, automation may be the most efficient solution.

Guaranteeing high-quality, accurate, final parts is the most important concern for any dental practice, orthodontist, or lab. Unfortunately, not all 3D printers marketed for dentistry or orthodontic applications can deliver the quality, precision, and accuracy needed. Additionally, comparing different dental 3D printers goes beyond looking at technical spec sheets.

Some manufacturers may try to confuse prospective customers with misleading statements and technical specifications. Most commonly, they indicate layer height, laser spot size, or pixel size as “accuracy,” even though these specifications do not have a direct impact on the accuracy of final parts. While most companies refer to a single number for accuracy (i.e. 50 μm or 75 μm), these are typically marketing gimmicks, and most commonly represent the limit of resolution of the printer.

Fundamentally, accuracy and precision depend on many different factors: the quality of the 3D printer, the 3D printing technology, materials, software settings, post-processing, and how well-calibrated all of these systems are, so a 3D printer can only be judged on its final dental parts. 

Always evaluate accuracy studies with real scan data of printed parts. Even better, ask for a sample part, or a custom sample of your own design, to check the fit or measure against the original design.

Ease of use is key not just for onboarding and training, but for daily operations and delegation. After all, you and your team are going to have to learn how to use the equipment and incorporate it into daily work. Try to get a sense of the learning curve that will come with a new 3D printer by watching tutorials, visiting a trade show, contacting sales teams, or asking colleagues about their experience.

The availability of educational resources and guides makes learning new workflows and indications easier. Many companies offer free guides, tutorials, webinars, and even courses to help you get up to speed with the latest, clinically-approved applications. 

Some printers come with custom software to prepare 3D models for printing, such as PreForm Dental for Formlabs 3D printers, while other manufacturers offer off-the-shelf solutions less optimized for dentistry. Features differ by software tool. For example, PreForm Dental offers a one-click print setup, where automatic algorithms set up your model’s layout, orientation, and supports based on customizable presets for each indication, so anyone in your office can print successfully without extensive training. With Scan to Model, intraoral scans can be converted into solid printable dental models in less than ten seconds. Plus, advanced users can create custom presets with preferred material, layer height, orientation, and support settings. 

Consider the types of everyday interactions as well as regular maintenance the printer will need once it is up and running. For example, some printers require you to manually refill resin, whereas others are automated. Form 4B and Form 4BL include intelligent maintenance modes to keep the printer running smoothly. Additionally, six onboard control systems precisely measure and maintain the temperature, resin level, print forces, and print status inside the printer, shortening the pre-print process and freeing up you or your technicians for higher-value tasks. 

Once a part is printed, it must be removed from the build platform. Removing printed parts can result in scratches, broken models, or part defects. Form 4B’s Build Platform Flex features Quick Release Technology, which allows you to remove parts without the use of tools just by moving the stainless steel side handles.

Build Platform Flex with Quick Release technology allows for the removal of parts without the use of tools.

Resin 3D prints require post-processing after printing, so workflow and space requirements as well as labor needs should be considered. 

First, the parts need to be washed in a solvent to remove excess resin. Automated washing solutions, such as Form Wash and Form Wash L, can significatly reduce hands-on time and increase efficiency.

Biocompatible dental parts also require post-curing. Formlabs offers high-speed, desktop, and large-format solutions to automate these steps as well, saving time and effort, and making a big difference in keeping a clean, low-maintenance production environment.

Lastly, depending on the design, some parts need to be cleared of support structures. To simplify this step, Formlabs’ resin printers offer light touch supports that greatly reduce both the need for finishing and costly labor. Plus, with the Build Platform Flex, some parts can be printed directly on the build platform — without supports. 

Early 3D printers had an infamous reputation for spending half of their lives in service, with many failed prints even when they were online. Fortunately, more recent generations of printers deliver greatly improved reliability. Dig deep into published reliability information, and make sure that a manufacturer has appropriate warranties and service offerings to ensure you’ll be taken care of if service is needed.

When you consider adopting a new technology, it needs to make sense for your business. Dental 3D printer prices have dropped significantly since the early days and the systems on the market today offer the lowest costs for many applications. 

For example, a practice or lab printing surgical guides or dental models to produce thermoformed aligners in-house can often reduce costs by 75-95% for each part compared to outsourcing to labs or service providers — enough to pay for a 3D printer in a few weeks and save many times its price tag over the years.

When you compare dental 3D printers, remember to consider:

1. Upfront costs, including not just the machine cost, but also training, setup, and potentially software.
2. Running costs, best estimated with per-unit material costs.
3. Servicing and maintenance costs, which can be expensive without a service plan.

Professional 3D printers are some of the most versatile tools found today in dental and orthodontic practices and labs, and the key to their versatility is dedicated materials.

Material selection varies by printer brand and model. Some basic 3D printers can only produce a few indications like diagnostic models, while more advanced systems such as Form 4B/BL can manufacture appliances for orthodontic or restorative applications including: 

• Diagnostic models
• Clear aligner models
• Orthodontic models for wire retainers
• Restorative models
• Surgical guides
• Splints, mouthguards, and occlusal guards
• Full dentures
• Temporary All-on-X appliances 
• Temporary restorations
• Permanent restorations
• Custom impression trays
• Patterns for casting and pressing
• Indirect bonding trays
• Direct composite restoration guides

Some 3D printers work only with proprietary materials, which means your options are limited to the offerings of the printer manufacturer. Others have an open system, meaning that they can use materials made by third-party manufacturers. 

However, when using third-party materials, it’s important to make sure that the results achieve clinically acceptable quality and accuracy. Furthermore, using biocompatible materials on non-validated 3D printers that claim to be “open” breaks the usage requirements and will produce non-biocompatible appliances. Be careful that you know what risks your business takes by using non-validated 3D printers and materials.

It’s important to check the available materials for a given 3D printer against the list of appliances you’re looking to print. However, the industry is innovating incredibly fast, so most manufacturers regularly release new materials and updated formulations, and there’s a good chance that the printer you buy today will become capable of creating an increasing variety of dental products in the near future. 

Form 4B can print 17+ dental-specific Formlabs resins including biocompatible resins developed and validated under a stringent QMS and produced in an ISO 13485-certified facility. For even more freedom, open materials and print settings are also available.