Ross Phillips explains why 3D printing in dentistry is growing in popularity due to its efficiency benefits and dependable outcomes.
A variety of options for dental 3D printing are now available, with entire workflows now possible chairside – improving cost-effectiveness considerably too.
However, as the awareness and use of dental-specific 3D printing increases, the conversation often continues to focus on the hardware design; build speed, light projection, and more are compared and discussed. However, in reality, it is not solely – nor primarily – the hardware of the printer that determines clinical success. In the production of definitive crowns, material selection plays a pivotal role in the final outcome. Whilst the printer initiates accuracy, the material determines longevity, and more.
Indication should guide resin selection
Not all printable resins are designed for the same purpose: retainers require materials that offer crystal clarity and appropriate flexural properties, while fixed hybrid dentures will require lifelike aesthetics and long-term durability (Sprintray, 2026). Temporary crown materials prioritise aesthetics, ease of handling, and strength.
Particularly in posterior regions, definitive restorations require a significantly greater amount of mechanical resilience (Duarte and Phark, 2025). High occlusal loads from repeated mastication and various daily movements mean that temporary materials would not suffice, as they are not formulated to endure such circumstances. Therefore, selecting a resin without carefully considering its intended indication can cause an abundance of issues down the line. This includes the increased likelihood of fracture or wear – something that can impact reputation and continued patient satisfaction.
Strength and fracture resistance are both integral for crown durability and long-term success (Mashyakhy and Adawi, 2024). Crowns being something that require these features permanently means that the material properties should be engineered to withstand stresses without structural deterioration. The portent factors might present as microfractures, marginal breakdown, or other subtleties. It is therefore vital that stability and durability are the primary factors in deciding the best material to reduce the number of remakes required.
Surface smoothness and wear
As well as structural reliability, the surface characteristics of a crown are influential in ensuring long-term performance. If the surface of the crown wears down, it will become uneven. Surface roughness impacts plaque accumulation; even the smallest of texture irregularities support bacterial adhesion, allowing the development of biofilm on the restoration (Quirynen and Bollen, 1995). A crown that has a stable and highly polishable surface is less likely to encourage the accumulation of plaque, which supports gingival health and reduces the risk of inflammation around the margins (Mina et al, 2023).
Additionally, as surface integrity diminishes, the restoration also becomes more susceptible to staining (Elmarakby et al, 2024). As a result, discolouration can heavily affect aesthetic acceptance and could lead to the need for a replacement crown, even if the structural function remains undamaged.
The costs and consequences of remakes
When a crown fails prematurely, the consequences are not limited to the necessity for more materials, but inconveniences like additional chair time, rescheduling requirements, administrative burden added, compromised patient experience and satisfaction, and general disruption across planning and the practice.
Practices incorporating in-house printing usually do so with the intention of increasing efficiency and reducing dependence on laboratories. However, these advantages lose their value when restorations begin to require replacement. It is therefore crucial for the material choice to reflect long-term intention – reducing the prospect of lost clinical time to remakes.
Selecting a resin that has it all
When working with resins, compromise should not be in the cards. Fortunately, developments now allow clinicians to work with materials that are designed for the specific job in hand.
At the forefront of crown material innovation is SprintRay with its new high-translucency restorative resin Crown HT. Developed exclusively for the Midas Digital Press system, the material allows clinicians to deliver aesthetic-focused, lifelike crowns in a single visit. The material combines ceramic-filled strength with more than 60% ceramics and exceptional translucency, smoothness, and shade fidelity – blending seamlessly with natural dentition. Better yet, complexity is eliminated from workflows entirely and patient satisfaction soars – without compromising any mechanical properties.
Staying ahead of digital dentistry
As digital dentistry continues to revolutionise, close consideration should be paid to all elements of the workflow, particularly in material selection. Printers that offer reliability and efficiency establish remarkable clinical outcomes when combined with resin that offers longevity and strength. Materials that deliver this, alongside surface smoothness and ease-of-use, take practices to the next level – ensuring happy patients and an efficient, organised system.
For more information on the 3D printing solutions available from SprintRay, please visit sprintray.com/en-uk.
References
- SprintRay UK, Midas – the solution for Chairside restorations (2025). Available at: https://sprintray.com/en-uk/midas-dental-restoratives/ (Accessed: 27 February 2026)
- Duarte S Jr, Phark JH. Advances in Dental Restorations: A Comprehensive Review of Machinable and 3D-Printed Ceramic-Reinforced Composites. J Esthet Restor Dent. 2025 Jan;37(1):257-276. doi: 10.1111/jerd.13371. Epub 2024 Nov 18. PMID: 39558703; PMCID: PMC11913211.
- Mashyakhy M, Adawi HA. Fracture Resistance and Initial Penetration Time of a Novel Zirconia Crown Design for Simplifying Future Endodontic Treatment: An In Vitro Study. Dent J (Basel). 2024 Nov 26;12(12):385. doi: 10.3390/dj12120385. PMID: 39727442; PMCID: PMC11674955.
- Quirynen M, Bollen CM. The influence of surface roughness and surface-free energy on supra- and subgingival plaque formation in man. A review of the literature. J Clin Periodontol. 1995 Jan;22(1):1-14. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051x.1995.tb01765.x. PMID: 7706534.
- Mina MG. Chabuk, Abdulla MW. Al-Shamma, Surface roughness and microhardness of enamel white spot lesions treated with different treatment methods, Heliyon, Volume 9, Issue 7, 2023, e18283, ISSN 2405-8440, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18283.
- Elmarakby, Ahmed & Alturaif, Dalal & Alanazi, Laila & Al, Nawaf & Mari, Hussain & Sayed, Al & Mufadhi, Ahmed & Alanazi, Marzouq & Abdullah, Ghadah & Alzahrani, Marzouq & Saeed, Fatimah & Almarhoon, Ahmed & Almilhis, Ahmed & Albaqami, Aljazi. (2024). The Effect of Discolored Teeth Restoration on Dental Crown. African Journal of Biomedical Research. 27. 1951 – 1959. 10.53555/AJBR.v27i4S.3971.
This article is sponsored by Sprintray.
