Conclusion

Additive manufacturing will be the next great evolution in dental CAD/CAM for conjoint prosthetics. The evolution of the materials used will enable us to move from dental study models to the direct manufacture of joint prostheses. The production of implant guides, temporary joint prostheses and orthodontic splints using polymer additive processes is beginning to emerge. With regard to metallic biomaterials, there are already applications for the manufacture of metal frameworks in cobalt-chromium alloy by SLM (Selective Laser Sintering) for removable prostheses. Although additive processes for dental ceramics are still at the academic and industrial development stage, the next few years will see the commercialization of additive machines that can be integrated into semi-direct CAD/CAM methodology, and the arrival on the market of dental ceramic powders or suspensions for conjoint prostheses....