Recently, at the municipal stomatological hospital's denture center, technicians used a compact intraoral 3D scanner to collect a patient's oral data in just 5 minutes. The data was then processed via design software for 1 hour of modeling and optimization, before a resin 3D printer produced a full set of dentures in 2 hours. After simple polishing and occlusion checks, the patient wore the new dentures the same day. This efficient model-made possible by 3D printing's deep integration into oral restoration-solves traditional denture pain points like multiple visits and long waits.
The hospital's prosthodontics director noted that traditional denture-making is tedious and manual: it involves pouring gypsum models, carving wax patterns, and over 10 more steps, taking 7-10 days and risking poor fit or occlusion errors due to human skill gaps. By contrast, 3D printing automates the entire "scan-design-produce" process: scanners capture fine oral details (with 0.1mm model accuracy), software optimizes denture shape for perfect fit, and printers build the base and crown in one go, cutting manual errors.
"A old set meant 3 hospital trips and half a month's wait. This time, I got dentures the same day-they let me bite apples and speak clearly!" said a 68-year-old patient. He'd lost teeth to periodontal disease and eaten only soft food for half a year, but the new tech fixed his issue quickly.
Currently, 3D printed dentures cover full, partial removable, and fixed types. Their medical resin is 1.5 times harder than traditional resin, wear-resistant, stain-proof, and meets national standards. Nearly 50 local oral institutions now use the tech, covering cities and counties. Industry insiders predict "same-day fitting" will become routine for middle-aged and elderly edentulous patients in 2 years, bringing digital oral care benefits to more.