A process of producing a surface-modified 3-dimensional article, the process comprising the steps of providing a radiation-curable composition, building-up a 3-dimensional article by radiation-curing the radiation-curable composition layer by layer, preferably by using a stereolithography or digital light processing unit, partially removing radiation-curable composition which sticks to the surface of the 3- dimensional article, treating only a portion of the surface of the 3- dimensional article to which the radiation-curable composition is stuck with particles, applying an additional curing step to the 3-dimensional article, preferably by applying heat and/or radiation. A 3-dimensional article which can be obtained by such a process and a kit of parts comprising such a 3-dimensional article.

Systems, methods, and devices for producing appliances for expansion of the arch of a patient are provided. An arch expanding appliance comprises a force generating portion to apply an arch expansion force and a retention portion to hold the force generating portion on the teeth. The retention portion comprises a flexible portion and a stiff portion. The force generating portion applies a force to move teeth associated with the flexible portion, while the stiff portion resists movement of its associated teeth. The orthodontic appliances can be designed according to the specifications provided herein and manufactured using direct fabrication methods.

A process for making a reinforcing structure (20) for dental prostheses in continuous fiber composite materials is described, comprising the steps of: —a) obtaining a digital three-dimensional model (2) of the patient's palate by means of a three-dimensional scan; —b) defining an operative outline (3;3′) through an offset of at least one portion of said three-dimensional model (2); —c) obtaining a path for at least one height hi of said three-dimensional model, said path being arranged inside said operative outline (3:3′); —d) depositing a continuous filiform element according to said path (9).

Provided is a powder material for forming a three-dimensional object, the powder material containing granulated particles containing: a resin; and inorganic particles of which primary particles have a volume average particle diameter of 1 micrometer or less, wherein the granulated particles have a volume average particle diameter of 10 micrometers or greater but 70 micrometers or less and a BET specific surface area of 6 m.sup.2/g or greater but 8 m.sup.2/g or less.

This invention relates to printable high strength/toughness polymerizable material systems for making dental products such as artificial teeth, dentures, splints, veneers, inlays, onlays, orthodontic appliances, aligners, copings, frame patterns, crowns and bridges and the like. A DLP, stereolithography, modified or their modification and combination based printer is used to cure polymerizable material in several different methods of this invention to build-up the object. The resulting three-dimensional object has good dimensional stability.

A dental prosthesis to be integrated into a jaw bone cavity of a pre-identified patient. An example of a dental prosthesis includes a first manufactured portion having a surface shaped to substantially dimensionally conform three dimensionally to an undersized shape of the outer three-dimensional surface shape of a root of a tooth to be replaced, and a second manufactured portion shaped to substantially conform to the three-dimensional surface of a crown of the tooth. The outer surface of the root portion can include or be coated with a biocompatible material that is suitable to be integrated into the extraction socket and adopted by existing tissue forming the socket.

The present invention relates to a 3D printer printhead, a 3D printer using the same, a method for manufacturing a molded product by using the 3D printer, a method for manufacturing an artificial tooth by using the 3D printer, and a method for manufacturing a machinable glass ceramic molded product by using the 3D printer, the 3D printer printhead comprising: an inlet through which glass wire, which is a raw material, is introduced; a heating means for heating the glass wire introduced through the inlet; a melting furnace for providing a space in which the glass wire is fused; and a nozzle connected to the lower part of the melting furnace so as to temporarily store the fused glass or discharge a targeted amount of the fused glass, wherein the melting furnace includes an exterior frame made from a heat resistant material and an interior frame having a crucible shape, and the interior frame is made from platinum (Pt), a Pt alloy or graphite, which have a low contact angle, or a material having a surface coated with Pt or a diamond-like carbon (DLC) so as to prevent the fused glass from sticking thereto. According to the present invention, the molded product, the artificial tooth, and the machinable glass ceramic molded product can be manufactured with excellent mechanical properties, thermal durability, chemical durability and oxidation resistance and outstanding texture by using the glass wire as a raw material.

A companion engineering and manufacturing process to optimize multi-layered zirconia crowns, and improved substructure are provided.

A method of creating a reinforced dental prosthesis is provided that can include providing a three-dimensional (3D) printed dental prosthesis, and applying a coating solution to at least a portion of an outer surface of the 3D printed dental prosthesis. The coating solution can include a polymerizable resin and filler particles distributed within the polymerizable resin. The method can include curing the coating solution on the 3D printed dental prosthesis to create the reinforced dental prosthesis.

Denture duplicating methods and systems are described that include a controller configured to scan a mold of a denture for a wearer using a scanner, create a denture specifications file associated with the mold of the denture, store the denture specifications file in non-transitory computer readable memory, upon request, retrieve the denture specifications file and load it into a milling design software program to generate a replacement denture platform design, and instruct a communicatively coupled three-dimensional printer to perform a print operation resulting in a replacement denture platform based in part on the replacement denture platform design before the replacement denture platform and milled teeth can then be sent to the wearer.