# 3D Printing & Dentures



## middle.road (Jan 2, 2020)

Has anyone had any experience or exposure to 3D printing of dentures?
And yeah, I'm being serious unfortunately.


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## Ulma Doctor (Jan 2, 2020)

no experience. 
but from what i understand they have a printing process utilizing resin and then using UV light to cure


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## eugene13 (Jan 2, 2020)

great Idea


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## middle.road (Jan 2, 2020)

Formlabs has this:  https://dental.formlabs.com/blog/now-shipping-3d-printed-digital-dentures/
But I'm searching around for 'firsthand' accounts or experiences.
Looks promising, only thing I see so far is the limited amount of 'shades'.


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## westerner (Jan 2, 2020)

middle.road said:


> And yeah, I'm being serious unfortunately.


Quite timely, my Good Man.
I am currently "in process". I am down to about 14 teeth left in my head, and their days are numbered.
My dentist has convinced me that the "old ways" were, and still are,  the best ways. He is 10 years my junior, by the way.

I will allow him to build my dentures from casts and molds. He assures me that a truly accurate fit is not possible any other way.
The ads for "Walk out with a new smile, in ONE DAY" are a sacrifice to vanity. It is not possible to accurately measure the gums
until the swelling goes down, and the healing is complete.

Any attempt to manufacture a set of plates BEFORE that has occured is a waste of time, money and pain, in my humble opinion. YMMV.


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## westerner (Jan 2, 2020)

I will present Beta test results in early spring. I have some affairs to get in order before I commit to 6-8 weeks with NO teeth at all. 
The "loaner" set option (pre measured plates built BEFORE all your teeth came out, given to you on that day) is common, and most likely due to the fact most of us have a sense of vanity stronger than mine. Most insurance policies will not fund BOTH approaches. The loaner option requires a "reline" at some point after the healing is done, and at significant additional cost. I am committed to the "old school" approach. We shall see. 
My "vanity" will not mind any questions along these lines  (My, what big teeth HE has). LOLOL


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## middle.road (Jan 4, 2020)

westerner said:


> I will present Beta test results in early spring. I have some affairs to get in order before I commit to 6-8 weeks with NO teeth at all.
> The "loaner" set option (pre measured plates built BEFORE all your teeth came out, given to you on that day) is common, and most likely due to the fact most of us have a sense of vanity stronger than mine. Most insurance policies will not fund BOTH approaches. The loaner option requires a "reline" at some point after the healing is done, and at significant additional cost. I am committed to the "old school" approach. We shall see.
> My "vanity" will not mind any questions along these lines  (My, what big teeth HE has). LOLOL



Final (14)? how's that for coincidence? I just had the last (14) of mine yanked on Monday. (ow)
I'm now enrolled in the Beta test program.
Didn't have much choice, two molars had crack roots and there was an infection to contend with.
I am now committed to the 6-week plan...
I chose not to go with the "immediate" plates (I think a better term would be "interim" or "vanity"), seems that insurance would cover those, but then it appears that you'd have to wait a "X#" of years to get the 'proper' set, so due to financial constraints I'm going for the 'Finals'.
Could not find a dentist willing to take impressions before the surgery, they all wanted to tie it into a set of plates, and I needed to do the plates in CY2020. Even at 80/20, the surgery chewed up all benefits for 2019.
I'm going to try to contact Formlabs just to see what other options they might be out there.
The WalkIn/WalkOut places are definitely not the way to go, from the folks I've talked to...
It's funny how Dentists are always hesitant to embrace newer technologies.


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## westerner (Jan 4, 2020)

middle.road said:


> I'm now enrolled in the Beta test program.


Alrighty, then. It seems we have a common bone to chew. (Sorry, I could not resist)

I had a lengthy discussion with my Dentist. He made it clear to me that NO ONE, regardless of degree, experience or technology, could accurately measure your gums BEFORE the teeth came out. Seems obvious to me. 

Hard numbers are this- I get a $2kish yearly benefit from insurance. The "vanity" option will cost North of $1500 more than the "final", or "Suck it up, Buttercup" version, which will still cost $3700. When I consider that a rebuild at 5-7 years down the road will cost $4k ish, it seems easy to decide on something that will fit well in the interim, and be a sound basis for the later reline.

My brother, one of my good friends, and more than a few "contemporaries" have chosen the "vanity" route. NONE of them fellers wear their dentures regularly, because they DON'T FIT, wont stay, and HURT.  I have asked. They all say, "Only Special Occasions"??!!? 

I will endure 6-8 weeks of "Hillbilly", to get a set that I can USE!


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## MontanaLon (Jan 4, 2020)

I had a crown put in this last year on a molar. It was a procedure which was pretty barbaric and messy. With the advances in laser measurement and 3D modeling it would seem to be a place where much improvement in services can be realized for someone with a little creativity and knowledge.

In a past life, I did some work with UV curing resins and there is definitely some potential there.

But realistically, teeth are a tough material and ceramics are likely a better route.


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## Jubil (Jan 4, 2020)

12 years ago my dentist did some impressions. Then 2 weeks later (I think), extracted 19 teeth and set in padded dentures. Pads stayed in a while. I don't remember how long. Then he removed the pads and I been wearing them ever since.
     Was it painful? Yes, yes, yes  I'm a whimp when it comes to pain.Next day was rough to say the least.
      Would I do it again? Yes due to time involved.I don't know if he measured, or estimated, or guessed but I think he got close enough.
     Sorry, I know this has nothing to do with 3d printing, just remembering.
Chuck


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## westerner (Jan 5, 2020)

Thanks, Chuck. 
It is good to hear of success, regardless of how it came about. 
You wear them every day? All day?
Do you have any limitations on what you can eat?
12 years is a long time on one set of plates, or so I hear. Do they still fit well? What sort of "bedding compound" do you use?

Thanks for chiming in. I appreciate any experience any of you will share. 

This is a "Machining" website. If the fit of my plates does not meet my expectations, then I will post my experience "Machining" them to fit!


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## Jubil (Jan 5, 2020)

westerner said:


> Thanks, Chuck.
> It is good to hear of success, regardless of how it came about.
> You wear them every day? All day?
> Do you have any limitations on what you can eat?
> ...



Hey West

I don't want to give the wrong impression because everybody doesn't have the same outcome. 

My brother had his pulled a few at a time (don't remember how many but it wasn't many at a time). Then had to wait a while before having dentures fitted. That is a long time to eat soup or oatmeal. 
 I don't know how different his situation was than mine except he had a different dentist.

I wear my dentures all day, every day. Pull and soak them in cleanser every night while I sleep.

I cut my steaks up in smaller pieces, corn on the cob can be done but it's easier to just cut the corn off with a knife. I try not to eat a sandwich that is very thick. I don't use "bedding compound" (adhesives).

They still fit as well as they did at first. I figure I still have several more years left on em.

No things won't be the same, but it's not as bad as some like to make it. Kinda like getting older. Some things you just can't do anymore so you make adjustments.

And I have "machined" mine more than once with files, sandpaper, and Dremel tool. Maybe I'll post pics or a video.   

Chuck


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## Bi11Hudson (Jan 6, 2020)

Late again, I guess I need to change my moniker to...

Back in '84 or so, I was in a "saloon brawl", in the Solomon Islands, doing computer work. Had to have almost all my teeth replaced. Full upper, partial lower. It was a glorous fight at the time, hurt a little afterward. The dentist on Guam was a Chinese, I think. Name of Chen, how it was pronounced not necessarily how it was spelled. In any case, before my teeth were removed, he made a cast of what I had. The upper plate was made loose so I could go on my route for a couple of months. Using some kind of powder to hold them in. Two~ months later, I had a "reline" to the healed shape. Had them ever since, using NO adhesive. Wore them 24/7 until a couple of years ago when I had the last stroke. It got confusing for me then when I was starting to relearn how to swallow. But the plate has never been refitted.

I tried to have a new set made by a stateside dentist a few years back but they never fit right. Even with adhesive, so I stopped wearing them and went back to the set with the chipped tooth. Makes me wonder what the difference was. I will concede, my company paid for them in '84 without a penny out of my pocket. They may well have been expensive, I don't know. My teeth were in sad shape anyway so I was glad to get them. Don't know if this helps the description any, but I had to tell my tale.

.


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## middle.road (Jan 6, 2020)

*Day-7* Finally getting some proper sleep the last couple of days.
and *GADS* I'm already tired of smoothies made out of vegetable beef/chicken/turkey/ham stew, and yogurt, and jello...   
Frozen fudge bars/popsicles - cut up make for a good method for reducing the swelling inside one's mouth. IMO - YMMV.
Didn't know this beforehand but it would appear that your swallowing changes. 
Ham came out really salty, but tasted OK.
Trying to come up with a decent broth recipe. Going to keep the veggies and broth separate from the meats until tossing it into the blender.
Need to see if we can score some beef bones at the local store.
Honey just whipped up a bowlful of scrambled eggs, with her 'secret' recipe. She's getting worried about the weight I'm losing.
(BP is holding steady - thankfully.)
The eggs came out pretty nicely, I had my doubts. (munching on it now as typing.)
A lot of the recipes that you come across searching on the and are somewhat useless.
---
One problem I have with the two dentists I've been to recently is that they are rushed and do not spend any time at all explaining details to you.
They spew out a quick readers digest condensed version and you can't get a question in sideways.
Then they are off to patient #2, or #3, since they are seeing 2 or 3 patients in the same time period.
The one dentist made a mistake in the number of teeth being removed and since I'm trying to make sure all the (T's & I's) are taken care of,
I called and was told "oh don't worry about that..."  -ahem.

I used the oral surgeon that I've been going to for over ten years now.
Even his lady that handles billing had an attitude last week when I went in. She wanted the co-pay and the amount she quoted was 6x the amount we discussed a few weeks back and what was shown on the pre-approval from the insurance company. 
When I started asking for clarification she said that if I didn't agree with it I could just cancel the extraction until I was willing to pay.
She had her math reversed. she was doing the 80/20 the wrong way and when I kept trying to point that out - she blamed it on my deductible.
-UGH!- 
I can hardly wait until my follow up tomorrow.

I am so hoping I can find a decent 'source' in the next couple of weeks and have it go smoothly like a few above here have.

If sharks can regenerate their teeth - why can't we?


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## westerner (Jan 6, 2020)

Good Help is SO hard to find. The medical industry is growing so fast, it does not surprise me to find incompetence in abundance there.
I feel fortunate that I have found a Dentist that can and will take a little time to talk. What remains to be seen is if he is a competent denture builder. 
He maintains his own lab, in house. 25 miles from MY house. He will have no excuse for poor workmanship. 

Dan, I appreciate your take on diet. The popsicle as swelling relief is a good tip! I need to lose a little weight, and never DID like soup. Seems a match....
Best of luck finding a good 'Source'. There are still talented Craftsmen out there. This site bears that out quite well!

I thank you all for your stories. I will have one to share myself in a few weeks.


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## middle.road (Jan 7, 2020)

westerner said:


> Good Help is SO hard to find. The medical industry is growing so fast, it does not surprise me to find incompetence in abundance there.
> I feel fortunate that I have found a Dentist that can and will take a little time to talk. What remains to be seen is if he is a competent denture builder.
> He maintains his own lab, in house. 25 miles from MY house. He will have no excuse for poor workmanship.
> 
> ...


Lab in-house? I'd jump on that, heck ya!
I asked the one dentist where the lab is that he uses and he wouldn't tell me. (huh?)
When I had all the root canal and crown work done in the 90's I went to the lab, which was local, several times, that was Northern IL.
Down here I've had to get two crowns, and they both sucked...

Meanwhile, had the follow up today. There was a charge for $600 for something called Alveoplasty, which is just a fancy name for 'scraping'.
Well seems I've got 3 or 4 places that he's going to have to go back and 're-do' later. 
Say what? I really do NOT want to be cut on again! He'd been so good previously. 
And the one is sharp as a tack and is rubbing against the inside of my lip.
I almost envy Bill's method of removal. . .   

The fudgesicles worked really well. Take it out of the freezer toss it in a bowl wait (5) mins, and munch on them using a spoon.
The pieces become soft and you can easily 'mold' it towards where the swelling/pain is. Was a lifesaver IMO.

Smoothie soup kinda sucks, and I've always liked soup. Wish that I had some of Grandma's Dutch Green Bean right about now.
Progresso isn't too bad if you doctor it up a bit. 
Went shopping today, and there's Honey tossing food in the basket for her to eat, and I razzed her, asking why she couldn't eat the same
gruel that I'm doing? um, er, well, you can imagine what her 'look' was like.
We grabbed some steak, a hunk of salmon, she's going to try to come up with something using the salmon.
She grabbed a package of crab legs that were marked down and tossed them in the basket - heartlessly I might add. 
I do love crab legs...
As I mentioned above, we're going to do up a batch of vegetables in a broth base and just add the meats in the blender.
And Honey's egg concoction from last night is pretty darn good and a lifesaver.
Get a good blender. Food processors don't chop the mixture up fine enough.


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## matthewsx (Jan 7, 2020)

So this is probably way off topic but my daughter's roommate at college (they are both bio-medical engineering students) just finished her degree. For the past several years she has been working with a surgery team at University of Michigan Hospital where she 3D prints models of existing bone structure based on scans of the patients skull. This is for reconstructive surgery and her models are used by surgeons for practice before actually working on the patients.

I am blessed with good teeth and do my best to take care of them, hope your new choppers come in soon and fit well.

John


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## middle.road (Jan 8, 2020)

matthewsx said:


> So this is probably way off topic but my daughter's roommate at college (they are both bio-medical engineering students) just finished her degree. For the past several years she has been working with a surgery team at University of Michigan Hospital where she 3D prints models of existing bone structure based on scans of the patients skull. This is for reconstructive surgery and her models are used by surgeons for practice before actually working on the patients.
> 
> I am blessed with good teeth and do my best to take care of them, hope your new choppers come in soon and fit well.
> 
> John


Back in '14 the Wife had to have part of her skull replaced above her right eye that needed attention as a result of a accident back in the early 90's.
One of the younger doctors on the team mentioned 3D printing, but both of the senior surgeons shot him down in a flash.
So now she has a titanium mesh plate in her head, so that allows me to use the phrase 'you're being _hard-headed_' during heated discussions.


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