Marta Revilla Leon M.S.D.

Posted March 16th 2021

3D printing parameters, supporting structures, slicing, and post-processing procedures of vat-polymerization additive manufacturing technologies: A narrative review.

Marta Revilla-León, M.S.D.

Marta Revilla-León, M.S.D.

Piedra-Cascón, W., Krishnamurthy, V.R., Att, W. and Revilla-León, M. (2021). “3D printing parameters, supporting structures, slicing, and post-processing procedures of vat-polymerization additive manufacturing technologies: A narrative review.” J Dent Mar 5;103630. [Epub ahead of print]. 103630.

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OBJECTIVE: To review the elements of the vat-polymerization workflow, including the 3D printing parameters, support structures, slicing, and post-processing procedures, as well as how these elements affect the characteristics of the manufactured dental devices. DATA: Collection of published articles related to vat-polymerization technologies including manufacturing workflow description, and printing parameters definition and evaluation of its influence on the mechanical properties of vat-polymerized dental devices was performed. SOURCES: Three search engines were selected namely Medline/PubMed, EBSCO, and Cochrane. A manual search was also conducted. STUDY SELECTION: The selection of the optimal printing and supporting parameters, slicing, and post-processing procedures based on dental application is in continuous improvement. As well as their influence on the characteristics of the additively manufactured (AM) devices such as surface roughness, printing accuracy, and mechanical properties of the dental device. RESULTS: The accuracy and properties of the AM dental devices are influenced by the manufacturing trinomial namely technology, printer, and material selected. The printing parameters, printing structures, slicing methods, and the post-processing techniques significantly influence on the surface roughness, printing accuracy, and mechanical properties of the manufactured dental device; however, the optimization of each one may vary depending on the clinical application of the additively manufactured device. CONCLUSIONS: The printing parameters, supporting structures, slicing, and post-processing procedures have been identified, but further studies are required to determine the optimal manufacturing protocol and enhance the properties of the AM polymer dental devices. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The understanding of the factors involved in the additive manufacturing workflow leads to a printing success and better outcome of the additively manufactured dental device.


Posted March 16th 2021

Additively Manufactured Ingot For Interim Dental Restorations Fabrication Using A Chairside Milling Machine.

Marta Revilla-León, M.S.D.

Marta Revilla-León, M.S.D.

Pérez-Giugovaz, M.G., Mostafavi, D. and Revilla-León, M. (2021). “Additively Manufactured Ingot For Interim Dental Restorations Fabrication Using A Chairside Milling Machine.” J Prosthodont Feb 27. [Epub ahead of print].

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This manuscript describes a technique to fabricate additively manufactured ingots for producing tooth- and implant-supported interim dental restorations using a chairside milling machine. The technique aimed to ease the additively manufactured interim restoration’s manufacturing by using a chairside milling machine, optimize the manufacturing workflow time, and eliminate the surface roughness of additively manufactured restorations.


Posted March 2nd 2021

Additively manufactured implant abutment screw-access guide to remove a cement-retained implant crown: A technique.

Amarali Zandinejad, M.S.

Amarali Zandinejad, M.S.

Revilla-León, M., Abaei, D.S., Tittle, A. and Zandinejad, A. (2021). “Additively manufactured implant abutment screw-access guide to remove a cement-retained implant crown: A technique.” J Prosthet Dent.

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A complete digital workflow to remove a cement-retained implant-supported crown by using an additively manufactured implant abutment screw-access guide is described. The existing cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan was superimposed on the digital scans of the patient, which facilitated the visualization of the implant abutment screw access and guided the design of the device. Advantages of the technique described include the precise translation of the implant abutment screw access, safe removal of the implant crown, and conservative clinical intervention.


Posted March 2nd 2021

Self-perception and self-representation preference between 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional facial reconstructions among dentists, dental students, and laypersons.

Marta Revilla-León, M.S.D.

Marta Revilla-León, M.S.D.

Revilla-León, M., Ashby, M.T., Meyer, M.J., Zandinejad, A. and Umorin, M. (2021). “Self-perception and self-representation preference between 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional facial reconstructions among dentists, dental students, and laypersons.” J Prosthet Dent.

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STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Computer-aided design (CAD) software can merge the intraoral digital scan with patient photographs or 3-dimensional (3D) facial reconstructions for treatment planning purposes. However, whether an individual perceives a 3D facial reconstruction as a better self-representation compared with a 2-dimensional (2D) photograph is unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this observational study was to compare self-perception ratings and self-representation preference of the 2D and 3D facial reconstructions among laypersons, dental students, and dentists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three populations participated in the study: laypersons, dental students, and dentists (n=20, N=60). Facial and intraoral features were digitized by using facial and intraoral scanners, and a complete-face smile photograph was obtained. Two simulations were performed for each participant: 2D (2D group) and 3D (3D group) reconstructions. In the 2D group, a maxillary digital veneer waxing from the left to the right second premolars was produced without altering the shape, position, or length of the involved teeth. A software program (Dental Systems; 3Shape A/S) was used to merge the maxillary digital waxing with the full-face smile photograph. One image was obtained for each participant. In the 3D group, a dental software program (Matera 2.4; Exocad GmbH) was used to merge the intraoral and facial scans. Subsequently, 1 video of a 180-degree rotation of each 3D superimposition was obtained. Participants evaluated both superimpositions on a scale from 1 (least esthetically pleasing) to 6 (most esthetically pleasing). Finally, participants were asked which superimposition they preferred for a potential treatment outcome representation. RESULTS: All the ratings were esthetically pleasing (median group rating 5 or 6). When analyzed solely for differences across occupation groups, ratings for the 2D representation varied significantly across populations (Kruskal-Wallis chi-squared=13.241, df=2, P=.001), but the ratings for the 3D representation did not exhibit statistically significant differences (Kruskal-Wallis chi-squared=4.3756, df=2, P=.112). Ordinal logistic regression revealed no significant main effects but a significant effect of the population×image-type interaction on the esthetic rating. All participants felt well-represented in both the 2D and 3D representations. Also, 40% of dentists, 55% of dental students, and 50% of laypersons preferred the 3D reconstructions. Sex and occupation in general had no effect on the ratings. However, students tended to give higher ratings to the 3D representations of themselves. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence based on the current study that 2D and 3D representations were perceived differently, but representation preferences may depend on a person’s occupation. When individuals rated 3D visualization higher than 2D visualization, they strongly preferred the 3D visualization for representing the treatment outcome.


Posted March 2nd 2021

Fracture resistance of additive manufactured and milled implant-supported interim crowns.

Marta Revilla-León, M.S.D.

Marta Revilla-León, M.S.D.

Martín-Ortega, N., Sallorenzo, A., Casajús, J., Cervera, A., Revilla-León, M. and Gómez-Polo, M. (2021). “Fracture resistance of additive manufactured and milled implant-supported interim crowns.” J Prosthet Dent.

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STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Interim dental prostheses can be fabricated by using subtractive or additive manufacturing technologies. However, the fracture resistance of implant-supported interim crowns fabricated by using vat-polymerization additive manufacturing methods remains unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the fracture resistance of anterior and posterior screw-retained implant-supported interim crowns fabricated by using subtractive and vat-polymerization direct light processing (DLP) additive manufacturing procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An implant (Zinic Implant RP ∅4.0×10 mm) was placed in a 15×15-mm polymethylmethacrylate block. An implant abutment (ZiaCam, nonrotatory RP) was positioned on each implant. The virtual implant abutment standard tessellation language (STL) file provided by the manufacturer was imported into a software program (Exocad v2.2 Valletta) to design 2 anatomic contour crowns, a maxillary right central incisor (anterior group) and a maxillary right premolar (posterior group). Each group was subdivided into 2 subgroups depending on the manufacturing method: milled (milled subgroup) and additive manufacturing (additive manufacturing subgroup). For the milled subgroup, an interim material (Vivodent CAD Multi) and a milling machine were used to fabricate all the specimens (N=40, n=10). For the additive manufacturing subgroup, a polymer interim material (SHERAprint-cb) and a DLP printer (SHERAprint 30) were used to manufacture all the specimens at a 50-μm layer thickness and 45-degree build orientation as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Then, each specimen was cemented to an implant abutment by using composite resin cement (Multilink Hybrid Abutment HO) as per the manufacturer’s instructions. A universal testing machine was used for fracture resistance analysis, and the failure mode was recorded. The Shapiro-Wilk test revealed that data were normally distributed. One-way ANOVA and Tukey multiple comparison were selected (α=.05). RESULTS: One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences among the groups (P<.05). The anterior milled subgroup obtained a significantly higher fracture resistance mean ±standard deviation value of 988.4 ±54.8 N compared with the anterior additive manufacturing subgroup of 636.5 ±277.1 N (P<.001), and the posterior milled subgroup obtained significantly higher mean ±standard deviation of 423.8 ±68 N than the additive manufacturing subgroup of 321.3 ±128.6 N (P=.048). All groups presented crown fracture without abutment fracture. CONCLUSIONS: Manufacturing procedures and tooth type influenced the fracture resistance of screw-retained implant-supported interim crowns. Milled specimens obtained higher fracture resistance compared with the DLP additive manufacturing groups. The anterior group was higher than the posterior group.