• Effect of support arrangements...

*Result*: Effect of support arrangements on 3D printing denture accuracy: An in vitro study.

Title:
Effect of support arrangements on 3D printing denture accuracy: An in vitro study.
Authors:
Kim JE; Department of Prosthodontics, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Kim H; Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Hwang JA; Life Science Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada., Moon HK; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Lee CG; Oral Science Research Center, Yonsei University College of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Won JE; Institute of Clinical Dental Research, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea., Shim JS; Institute of Clinical Dental Research, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.; Department of Dentistry, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Source:
Journal of prosthodontic research [J Prosthodont Res] 2026 Jan 16; Vol. 70 (1), pp. 125-131. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Aug 27.
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Language:
English
Journal Info:
Publisher: Japan Prosthodontic Society Country of Publication: Japan NLM ID: 101490359 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2212-4632 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 18831958 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Prosthodont Res Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s):
Publication: 2020- : Tokyo : Japan Prosthodontic Society
Original Publication: Amsterdam : Elsevier
MeSH Terms:
Denture Design*/methods , Printing, Three-Dimensional* , Denture Bases*, X-Ray Microtomography ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques
Contributed Indexing:
Keywords: 3D Printing; Denture; Efficient support placement; Printing accuracy; Support
Entry Date(s):
Date Created: 20250827 Date Completed: 20260118 Latest Revision: 20260118
Update Code:
20260130
DOI:
10.2186/jpr.JPR_D_24_00278
PMID:
40866238
Database:
MEDLINE

*Further Information*

*Purpose: Supports are essential for ensuring dimensional accuracy in 3D printing; however, an excessive number of supports compromises printing efficiency. This study aimed to investigate how a varying number of support arrangements affects the precision and trueness of 3D-printed dentures.
Methods: Three denture base printing files were designed, each with different numbers of supports: 40 (group 40), 55 (group 55), and 70 (group 70). Thirty samples were printed and measured across the groups. Accuracy was evaluated by assessing trueness and precision using the root mean square error (RMSE). The error areas in each group were analyzed through micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) 3D imaging.
Results: Group 70 showed a significantly lower RMSE for trueness than Group 40 (P < 0.05), but showed no significant difference from Group 55 (P ≥ 0.05). For precision, Group 70 outperformed both Groups 40 and 55 (P < 0.05), which did not differ significantly (P ≥ 0.05). Micro-CT revealed no mismatches in the palatal region. Discrepancies-areas where the supports in Groups 40 and 55 did not accurately align with those in Group 70-were predominantly observed at initiation points of overhangs in thinner sections.
Conclusions: Based on these results, this study recommends placing support structures strategically around overhangs and thin-walled areas to enhance the accuracy of 3D-printed denture fabrication. These findings indicate that optimizing support placement, rather than merely increasing the number of supports, is crucial in improving the quality and reliability of 3D-printed dental prostheses.*