Lino Adolf, owner of Majestic Smile Dental Laboratory, shares how embracing digital – and investing in PolyJet 3D printing technology – has future-proofed his lab by optimising production workflows and enhancing product quality.
In recent years, digital workflows and advanced dental 3D printing technologies have become a game-changer for dental laboratories, offering unprecedented efficiency, accuracy and scalability.
Why PolyJet? A paradigm shift in dental 3D printing
Many 3D printing workflows have limitations such as limited batch printing, excessive post-processing, or messy resin handling. These challenges, and the need for frequent manual intervention, often lead to new inefficiencies including increased production time, variability in quality, and higher operational costs for dental labs.
PolyJet 3D printing technology eliminates these obstacles, explains Adolf, offering a single, compact, high-efficiency solution for dental labs looking to scale without sacrificing quality.
‘For me, digital is the way forward, and accuracy is the biggest benefit,’ says Adolf. ‘With implant models and surgical guides, precision is crucial.’
PolyJet technology and the DentaJet Series of 3D printers ensure consistent results. The ability to print multiple materials simultaneously allows labs to produce dozens of parts in a single job, reducing the need for multiple print cycles and manual handling.
‘Unlike other printer technologies that require separate print cycles for different materials or applications, Stratasys’ J3 and J5 DentaJet printers allow for the production of models, surgical guides, crowns, bridges, and gingiva masks all in one job. This streamlining not only saves time but also significantly increases production capacity.’
Automated nesting and support structure placements also remove the need for manual adjustments, making setup simple and efficient. With a circular build tray that maximises space, the printer offers high throughput within a compact footprint, making it an excellent option for labs with limited space.
A cleaner, more cost-effective workflow
One of the most frustrating aspects of traditional 3D printing is the time-consuming and messy post-processing. DLP and SLA printers require handling of uncured resin, extensive IPA washes, and labor-intensive support removal, often leading to surface damage and post-curing distortions.
The DentaJet Series eliminates these challenges by producing cured, ready-to-use parts. Chemical washes and hazardous waste disposal are replaced by a clean, safe and efficient workflow with minimal manual intervention. Adolf emphasises that since adding his DentaJet printer, his lab has become significantly cleaner, with no resin spills, fumes, or need for excessive safety measures.
Revolutionising dentures with TrueDent technology
For labs looking to expand their digital denture offerings, the combination of PolyJet printer technology and Stratasys TrueDent resin is a true game-changer, says Adolf. Traditional printed dentures require printing the denture bases and teeth separately, manually bonding them, and performing post-curing adjustments.
With TrueDent, dentures are printed in a single monolithic piece, eliminating the need for bonding and reducing the risk of misalignment or structural weakness. The printer offers multi-shade capabilities, allowing for dozens of different tooth shades in one print job.
Eliminating bonding and manual handling ensures a highly accurate fit, reducing chairside adjustments for dentists. The ability to produce up to 34 dentures in one cycle also dramatically improves turnaround times, making it a highly scalable solution for labs looking to increase production without additional labor.
ROI and cost savings: does PolyJet technology pay off?
Investing in digital technology is a major decision, but DentaJet printers delivers long-term cost savings, explains Adolf. By consolidating multiple applications into one system, they reduce hardware, maintenance, and labor costs. Their ability to print large quantities of multiple applications at once frees technicians for high-value tasks instead of managing multiple printers and many smaller printer jobs.
Traditional 3D printing often requires extra labor for monitoring, cleaning, and resin changes, but DentaJet technology streamlines much of this process. Some labs report reducing their labor hours per week by 50% – adding up to tens of thousands in annual savings.
Without the need for costly resin tanks, membranes, or trays operational costs can be lower than other technologies. By minimising material waste and post-processing, PolyJet technology offers an exceptional return on investment.
Now is the time to future-proof your lab
For Adolf and many other lab owners, investing in PolyJet technology with the DentaJet series has been transformative. The ability to increase production capacity without adding labor costs, improve accuracy and consistency, and expand into new services like digital dentures makes for a smart, future-proof investment.
Adolf encourages lab owners considering digital transformation to take action now: labs that embrace digital workflows today will be better positioned to compete in the future.
Interested in learning more? Talk to a Dental 3D Printing Expert today.
This article is sponsored by Stratasys.
