As many as 10 000 000 metal 3d printed dental parts are being made each year.
Metal laser sintering dental.
Stereo lithography apparatus sla digital light projection dlp jet and direct laser metal sintering dlms.
Direct metal laser sintering dmls is the main technology of choice for dental applications.
Many major valuable 3d printing companies including 3d systems slm solutions concept laser and eos sell dmls metal 3d printers that are able to create incredibly intricate metal parts and 3d printed jewelry from precious metals.
Direct metal laser sintering dmls is a direct metal laser melting dmlm or laser powder bed fusion lpbf technology that accurately forms complex geometries not possible with other metal manufacturing methods.
In the dental office an impression of a tooth preparation is made to start with after routine diagnosis and treatment planning.
3d systems eos concept laser renishaw slm solutions realizer all sell metal 3d printers developed specifically for the dental industry.
Each system varies in the materials available how those materials are solidified and how they can be used.
In the intermediate dental laboratory the impression is casted and a model is prepared.
The two are instantiations of the same concept.
Direct metal laser sintering dlms process.
There are basically four different 3d printing technologies being used in the dental industry today.
Selective laser sintering sls is an additive manufacturing am technique that uses a laser as the power source to sinter powdered material typically metal aiming the laser automatically at points in space defined by a 3d model binding the material together to create a solid structure.
It is similar to direct metal laser sintering dmls.
The impression could be a conventional or a digital impression.