Marginal and internal fit of 3D printed provisional crowns according to build directions

Abstract

PURPOSE. This study aimed to fabricate provisional crowns at varying build directions using the digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D printing and evaluate the marginal and internal fit of the provisional crowns using the silicone replica technique (SRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS. The prepared resin tooth was scanned and a single crown was designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software. Provisional crowns were printed using a DLP-based 3D printer at 6 directions (120°, 135°, 150°, 180°, 210°, 225°) with 10 crowns in each direction. In total, sixty crowns were printed. To measure the marginal and internal fit, a silicone replica was fabricated and the thickness of the silicone impression material was measured using a digital microscope. Sixteen reference points were set and divided into the following 4 groups: marginal gap (MG), cervical gap (CG), axial gap (AG), and occlusal gap (OG). The measurements were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Dunnett T3. RESULTS. MG, CG, and OG were significantly different by build angle groups (P