Dimensional Accuracy in 3D Printed Medical Models: A Follow-Up Study on SLA and SLS Technology

Bilal Msallem; Joel J Vavrina; Michel Beyer; Florian S Halbeisen; Günter Lauer; Adrian Dragu; Florian M Thieringer

doi:10.3390/jcm13195848

Dimensional Accuracy in 3D Printed Medical Models: A Follow-Up Study on SLA and SLS Technology

J Clin Med. 2024 Sep 30;13(19):5848. doi: 10.3390/jcm13195848.

Authors

Bilal Msallem^{1

2}, Joel J Vavrina^{2

3}, Michel Beyer^{2

3}, Florian S Halbeisen⁴, Günter Lauer⁵, Adrian Dragu¹, Florian M Thieringer^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ UniversityCenter for Orthopedics, Trauma and Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, DE-01307 Dresden, Germany.
² Medical Additive Manufacturing Research Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, CH-4123 Allschwil, Switzerland.
³ Clinic of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Basel, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
⁴ Basel Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
⁵ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, DE-01307 Dresden, Germany.

Abstract

Background: With the rise of new 3D printers, assessing accuracy is crucial for obtaining the best results in patient care. Previous studies have shown that the highest accuracy is achieved with SLS printing technology; however, SLA printing technology has made significant improvements in recent years. Methods: In this study, a realistic anatomical model of a mandible and skull, a cutting guide for mandibular osteotomy, and a splint for orthognathic surgery were replicated five times each using two different 3D printing technologies: SLA and SLS. Results: The SLA group had a median trueness RMS value of 0.148 mm and a precision RMS value of 0.117 mm. The SLS group had a median trueness RMS value of 0.144 mm and a precision RMS value of 0.096 mm. There was no statistically significant difference in RMS values between SLS and SLA technologies regarding trueness. Regarding precision, however, the RMS values for SLS technology were significantly lower in the splint and cutting guide applications than those printed with SLA technology. Conclusions: Both 3D printing technologies produce modern models and applications with equally high dimensional accuracy. Considering current cost pressures experienced by hospitals, the lower-cost SLA 3D printer is a reliable choice for point-of-care 3D printing.

Keywords: 3D printing; computer-aided design; dimensional measurement accuracy; precision medicine; stereolithography.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Werner Siemens Foundation (MIRACLE project). The Article Processing Charge (APC) was funded by the joint publication funds of the TU Dresden, including Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, and the SLUB Dresden as well as the Open Access Publication Funding of the DFG.