Denture Base and Tooth Resins are highly accurate materials specifically formulated for the creation of custom dentures of all types. Production capabilities include removable denture bases and denture try-ins to ensure final prosthetic appliance fitments as well as high quality complete monolithic interim dentures for same-day delivery when fused with Class IIA Crown & Bridge materials of the preferred shade. In this workflow guide, learn how to print denture bases successfully with SprintRay 3D printers.

Data Capturing 

In order to fabricate patient-specific prosthetics, you must first capture and record a patient's anatomy. This process of recording is commonly referred to as scanning, which can be achieved through a series of technologies available to dental clinics and laboratories. 

Optical scanning via bench-top scanners, intra-oral scanners for direct in mouth capture, and Cone Beam CT devices gather the required patient-specific information and package it as a usable 3D file for design/treatment planning and, ultimately, 3D fabrication. 

Design and Treatment Planning 

Once a patient's anatomy has been captured, the usable 3D file can be loaded into a range of 3rd party Dental CAD software for custom design and treatment planning. It is important to utilize a Dental CAD software that can achieve the desired clinical goals while maintaining output file integrity. 

In-Office Design

For the design and treatment planning of denture bases and complete digital dentures we recommend the following certified programs for use: 

As a general recommendation, we recommend the following design parameters for best success;

Minimum Thickness

• Upper- 2.5 mm
• Lower - 3 mm

Flange Height

• 2-3 mm from depth of vestibule

Teeth Offset (adhesive space)

• 0.100 mm  

Out of Office Design

SprintRay Cloud Design helps and provides high-quality Removable Denture design that can easily be submitted via our online Cloud Design portal.

Printing - Special Considerations

RayWare Cloud

Log into your SprintRay Dashboard account and navigate to RayWare via the online portal, or click the Add to Print Job button once you have received your completed design from our Design Services. If printing a downloaded STL file, select the type of denture model you wish to print from the list on the right hand side of RayWare Cloud. These settings will already be selected if using the Add to Print Job function from your Treatment page.

Once the correct model type has been selected, ensure you have the correct Print Job settings applied for your printer type and material, and then upload the files you wish to print. Once uploaded, the intelligent algorithm for automatic orientation in RayWare Cloud should automatically detect the critical surfaces of the denture base or teeth and orient the models in the optimal position for speed, accuracy, and reliability 

Denture Base Setup

To reduce post processing time, and ensure the best fitment for the patient, remove any unnecessary supports from the palatal intaglio surface, and add supports on the flanges of the denture base model using the Add/Remove Individual Supports button from the Supports menu on the right hand side. 

Denture Teeth Setup

Denture teeth should always be printed flat, with the occlusal surface facing the platform. This is necessary to ensure correct fitment of the teeth to the denture base during the luting procedure. It may be necessary to add additional supports to the incisal edges of the anterior teeth, depending on the patient anatomy.

RayWare Desktop

Denture Base Setup

Bring the designed STL files to RayWare. We recommend the following for the Denture Base:

• Position the Intaglio surface of the denture toward the print platform (teeth facing up), with the posterior portion of the design angled toward the platform at 60°.
• Add High Strength Roads style supports with Medium density
• Remove all supports from the palatal intaglio surface but leave them on the flange perimeter.

Model Orientation:

Removing Supports using Edit Supports:

Ready for Printing:

Denture Teeth Setup

We recommend the following for teeth:

• The occlusal surface should be facing towards print platform.
• The occlusal plane should be parallel to print platform.
• Use High Strength Roads style supports and ensure there are adequate supports on the all of the lowest parts of the tips of the teeth

Model Orientation:

Support Setup:

Printing on SprintRay Pro 95/55 and 95 S/55 S

Before you begin printing, always ensure that the resin you are printing is thoroughly mixed and properly warmed to the correct temperature before starting a print. Some denture base and teeth resins require material pre-heating before beginning a print cycle, which can take 15-20 minutes. This is to ensure the resin is the correct viscosity during the entire print cycle.

1. Always wear gloves
   Always wear gloves when handling uncured resin. Whether you are pouring, removing models from the platform, or even after models have been washed, must wear gloves to limit exposure to resin.
2. Mix thoroughly
   3D printing resins contain chemicals of different weights; therefore, it is essential to mix resin before every print thoroughly. For resin already in the tank, use provided resin wiper to stir the material gently. If pouring from a bottle, shake the bottle vigorously for several minutes before dispensing.
3. Remove cured debris and Filter resin if necessary
   Before starting any print, ensure any cured particulates or debris is removed from the Resin Tank using a gloved hand before the start of any prints. Filtering the resin is only necessary if there are numerous cured support particles left after an unsuccessful print that cannot be removed by hand, and should be done with a coarse strainer or filter media >200µm. Over filtering of the resin can cause unwanted separation of the resin components over time!
4. Check expiration dates
   Resin has a shelf life; it is essential to keep an eye on the expiration date. The use of expired resin will likely result in failed prints, as the compounds required for curing break down and will not activate properly. The expiration date for resins is printed on the back of the bottle.
5. Fill the Resin Tank above the Minimum Line
   The resin fill level indicators on the sides of the Resin Tank show when resin needs to be added. Before starting a print job, the resin fill level should always be above the Minimum Fill line to allow adequate resin flow under the platform during the print cycle.

Post-Processing

Washing and Drying

Denture Base:

After your Denture Base has been printed successfully, it must be washed using Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) with a concentration of 91% or higher before being post-cured. SprintRay highly recommends Pro Wash/Dry for your cleaning process:

However, if you don’t have access to a Pro Wash/Dry yet, you may allocate a separate Ultrasonic bath dedicated to post-print washing with IPA or a dish for soaking along with a Soft/Medium bristle brush to manually clean your prints in IPA. Make sure NOT to immerse the Denture Base for more than 10 min in the IPA bath. Remember: IPA is highly flammable! Please keep it away from heat sources, sparks, and flames. Ensure that your Denture Base is completely dry before the next step; if not, use compressed air to dry your Denture Base rapidly. Remove the Denture Base from the Print Platform.

Denture Teeth:

• Remove from print platform.
• Remove all the supports using a flush cutter. Try to cut as close as possible to the tooth
  surface to minimize the smoothening and polishing procedure.
• Use a shop towel to wipe off and remove excess material.
• Use a spray bottle with >91% IPA to lightly spray the Denture Teeth.
• Immediately blast with compressed air after spraying to dislodge as much resin as possible.
• Repeat with extra attention to screw holes to be sure all liquid is removed.
• You may use a pipe-cleaner or micro applicator to clean the screw channels.

Support Removal

Once the post-curing is completed, we need to remove all the supports by using a flush cutter. Try to cut as close as possible to the Denture Base to minimize the smoothening and polishing procedure.

Assembling the Denture and Post-Curing

Luting

Once both the denture base and teeth have been printed, both models will need to be luted together using the a small amount of Denture base material in the tooth sockets of the model, and a UV curing cycle to bond the base and teeth firmly together. 

Pro Cure 2

Select the Appliances list on the Home Screen

Finishing and Polishing

Polishing

Use the Scotch-Brite™/Fuzzies™ Wheel for smoothening the denture surface, followed by using pumice & polishing compound and muslin wheel to polish the surface. You may use a pink compound-bar and a cotton buff for a mirror finish.

Characterization

This is an optional step to give a better and more realistic look to the teeth or even denture. Characterization helps to provide the denture a better and more natural look by staining and glazing, which allows to change shades, shift value, characterize, create effects and glaze to achieve a more beautiful and esthetic denture. You may use the OptiGlaze™ kit by GC for a better cosmetic effect. Light cure the OptiGlaze™ colors and stains on the denture teeth and/or base. You may combine multiple colors to make the desired color

The appliance is now ready to be cleaned, and delivered to the patient.