Stratasys Launches Compact, Multimaterial J5 DentaJet for Dental 3D Printing

According to estimates by Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS), the addressable segment for 3D printed dental applications is roughly $1 billion, and the “Additive Manufacturing in Dentistry 2021” report by SmarTech Analysis anticipates that revenues in the dental AM market, which was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, should return to growth in the coming year. So, in order to meet the continued demand for 3D printed dental solutions, Stratasys is introducing its new multimaterial J5 DentaJet 3D printer, which is supported with biocompatible resins and offers PolyJet’s precision and realism to help dental labs scale up their 3D model printing efficiency.

Stratasys says that its new multicolor J5 DentaJet, which joins the company’s existing Objet30 Dental Prime, J700, and J720 dental printers, can fabricate at least five times more parts on one mixed tray than similar printers, even though it only takes up 4.6 square feet of floor space. Even with such a compact footprint, the 3D printer is a good fit for customers looking to high volumes of accurate dental models.

The new J5 DentaJet 3D printer can produce at least five times more dental parts on a single mixed tray than competitive 3D printers

“Dental and orthodontic models have been growing their adoption of 3D printing but the process has remained too manual and time consuming. The J5 DentaJet advances the full digital transformation of dental modeling with the potent combination of automation with accuracy,” stated Stratasys’ Healthcare Vice President Osnat Philipp. “The system runs largely unattended, and you can even produce a build tray with a wide variety of different models using several different materials. It’s a productivity monster.”

A major time-consuming application for dental labs is producing multiple parts, out of different materials, for dental implant cases or removable partial dentures (RPD). For instance, an implant case includes a soft gingiva mask, a top and bottom rigid opaque model, and a biocompatible surgical guide, each of which are a different material. So normally, technicians have to complete separate prints with these different materials, or use multiple 3D printers, but the J5 DentaJet can handle up to five materials, including support, so that’s no longer an issue now.

Speaking of materials, the new J5 DentaJet comes with a full range of biocompatible dental resins, including a clear, flexible one, VeroGlaze opaque white for temporary in-mouth placement, VeroDent PureWhite, CMY resins for color, and a clear resin. Additionally, the Separator digital material coats dental models automatically in order to simplify the process of separating the acrylic device from the model, and then removing the wax and residue.

Full-service orthodontics lab Motor City Lab Works, located in Michigan, has been a beta tester for the new J5 DentaJet printer, and has been impressed by the high volume of prints it can produce, as well as the printer’s accuracy.

“As an orthodontist we really need highly accurate models to ensure patient appliances are the best fit. We needed a printer that could accommodate the combination of a larger build tray for high volume plus produce higher resolution models. The J5 DentaJet provides us with both luxuries in one machine,” explained the lab’s CEO, orthodontist Dr. John Dumas.

Another beta tester, Massachusetts-based and family-owned NEO Lab, found that the new J5 DentaJet makes work a whole lot easier for its more than 100 employees, who work to serve 3,000 dental and orthodontic clinics around the country. Not only does the printer help them handle their large part volumes with more efficiency, but it also provides a better surface finish as well.

“We produce 600 orthodontic appliances every day. The DentaJet 3D printer is easy to use, can produce a lot of models in a single print, and we don’t spend much time post-processing the models after they come out of the machine. Our models go from printer to production floor faster than ever,” said CEO and Co-Owner Christian Saurman.

Stratasys’ latest 3D printer for the dental market maximizes productivity in a small footprint

The multimaterial, multicolor J5 DentaJet can also 3D print realistic case presentations, and these designs can be produced digitally in just a few short hours, as opposed to more conventional but time-consuming wax models. And dentists can seat bridges and crowns in just minutes, due to the fact that the high resolution PolyJet materials can achieve a model accuracy of 18.75 microns.

The new J5 DentaJet 3D printer by Stratasys is available for purchase immediately.

(Source/Images: Stratasys)