Investigations of digital model using extraoral scanner, resin printing and fused deposition modelling to fabricate a dental arch model

The present work investigates the dimensional preciseness of dental arch models from extraoral scanning (EOS), resin printing, and fused deposition modelling (FDM).A typodont dental cast reference model was scanned with an extra-oral scanner and additively manufactured using digital light processing (DLP) and FDM. Linear measurements of anthropometric landmarks, including canine width, molar width, premolar diameter, canine height, and arch length, were considered on reference, digital, and additively manufactured dental arch models. Measurement variations were used to observe accuracy and dimensional preciseness, respectively. The scan results for the five anthropometrical landmarks (canine width:0.21, molar width: 0.27, premolar diameter: 0.86, canine height: 1.44, and arch length: 1.52) are in close agreement with the reference model in terms of dimensional accuracy. The percentage error in dimensions of 3D printed dental casts exhibited a prevalence of shrinkage, with DLP (canine width: 1.56, molar width: 0.65, premolar diameter: 4.38, canine height:1.3, and arch length: 3.78) resin printing exhibiting more distortion in terms of percentage error than FDM printing; (canine width: 0.06, molar width: 0.27, premolar diameter:3.8, canine height: 1.4, and arch length: 2.18). The utilization of extra oral scanners in dentistry has great potential to provide many benefits and suggests that they could significantly improve the quality and efficiency of dental treatments. Compared to DLP technique, FDM offers higher accuracy and precision when creating complex dental models with excellent fit and long-term durability.