Challenges and Solutions for Cost-Effective and Practical Dental Cast Fabrication With a Desktop Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D Printer

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using a cost-effective desktop three-dimensional (3D) fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer to fabricate dental casts to overcome the problems of conventional dental plaster casts, such as fragility and low portability. First, a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) model of the dental cast was prepared in the Standard Triangle Language (STL) format. Twelve 3D models were fabricated using a desktop FDM 3D printer under different 3D printing parameters/conditions, including shape, placement direction, and infill percentage. The fabricated 3D models were reverse-scanned with a microfocus computed tomography unit. STL models were created from the scanned data and superimposed on a reference STL model to evaluate the effect of different parameters/conditions on the accuracy and quality of the 3D models. The results showed that the percentage of infill (25% vs. 75%) affected the accuracy and quality of the model. Thermal transfer simulations highlighted the role of internal structure/infill percentage in the deformation of the model during 3D printing. In conclusion, although challenges such as thermal deformation and resolution limitations remain, it was found that even with an FDM 3D printer, the accuracy of 3D models can be improved by optimizing 3D printing parameters. This study demonstrates the feasibility of dental cast fabrication using an FDM 3D printer and may be one of the most cost-effective solutions. Depending on the future development of FDM technology, it is expected that this technology will be able to streamline the dental workflow and improve its efficiency.