Formlabs Introduces New Biocompatible 3D Printing Resin for Long-Term Dental Use

When it comes to 3D printing for dental applications, SLA 3D printing is the way to go. The technology has the necessary precision and surface finish for dental tools and implements, and companies that specialize in SLA technology have been putting forth efforts to create new advancements in dental 3D printing. Over the past year and a half, Formlabs has become a leader in dental 3D printing, ever since it introduced the first biocompatible resin in desktop 3D printing last April.

That resin, called Dental SG, was a big step forward in dental 3D printing, allowing dental practitioners to create things like customized drill guides using 3D printing. Now Formlabs has introduced a new dental 3D printing resin, and it’s another first: Dental LT Clear is the first long-term biocompatible resin in desktop 3D printing, available to be used for orthodontic devices.

“Since entering the dental market in 2016, Formlabs has quickly established itself as the premier player in dental 3D printing,” said Dávid Lakatos, Chief Product Officer at Formlabs. “We now command the largest dental 3D printer user base, have sold thousands of printers to dental professionals, and are growing at a pace of over 600 percent year on year. All of this has catalyzed an industry-wide shift to 3D printing and digital dentistry.”

Dental LT Clear is also the fastest Formlabs material so far, capable of 3D printing splints and retainers in less than 50 minutes. Full build platforms with up to seven splints can be 3D printed in less than two hours. That means greatly reduced wait time for patients, who in the past would have to suffer through having impressions taken and then wait days or even weeks for their devices to be completed. Thanks to 3D printing, messy impressions are becoming a thing of the past, too – patients can now simply be scanned, and splints and retainers made from the scan data.

“We couldn’t be more excited by how quickly 3D printing is becoming part of the standard of care in dentistry,” said Gideon Balloch, Dental Product Lead at Formlabs. “Over 50,000 surgeries have been performed with a Formlabs printed surgical guide—and that’s just 10 percent of what dental users are doing with our printers. Dental LT Clear adds yet another digital workflow to a library that offers professionals more efficient, accurate, and affordable production methods, enabling faster treatments for patients with better clinical outcomes. It’s only going to continue to grow.”

Formlabs introduced several other new dental resins earlier this year as well, and now the company has also improved Dental SG resin, making print speeds up to 50 percent faster for single items, and up to 20 minutes faster for full builds. Formlabs has been going beyond resin formulation in its integration into the dental industry, too, deepening partnerships and distribution deals with some of the biggest players in the industry, including 3Shape and Henry Schein.

Thanks to the advances that are being made in dental 3D printing by companies like Formlabs, patients get to benefit from more comfort, less wait time, and an overall better experience at the dentist’s office.

Interested customers can request sample parts 3D printed with Dental LT Clear and Dental SG resins here.

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