New approaches in computer aided printing technologies

Abstract

CAD/CAM technology which entered dentistry in the 1980s has provided new developments in various areas. The demands of patients which moved away from standardized to customized products have initiated a new era in computer-aided manufacturing. For the fabrication of a physical prototype in dentistry, three approaches have been identified: Additive Technique, Subtractive Technique and Hybrid Technique. Within these techniques, additive manufacturing has arisen due to its advantages such as arbitrarily manufacturing of complex customized geometries with low volume. In addition to this, additive techniques have minimized the amount of waste material by increasing efficiency. In this way, additive manufacturing that refers to the manufacturing of parts in an additive or layer by layer manner, plays a crucial role in today's dentistry. This review aims the investigation of different computer-assisted manufacturing techniques which are routinely used in dentistry and to evaluate their systematic advantages and disadvantages.