Evaluation of the accuracy of dental models manufactured with three-dimentional printing technique

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of dental models manufactured with LCD 3D printing device, in cases, where implant were placed in edentulous jaws. Materials and Methods: The edentulous artificial mandibular jaw with implants placed with the all on 4 technique was used as a reference. On this reference model, impressions were taken with the conventional technique and plaster models were obtained. After scanning the reference model in a precision scanning laboratory scanner and obtaining STL data, the 3D model was transferred to the design software and designed for production on the printing device. Models were obtained with a 3D printing device over the obtained design. After all models were scanned in the laboratory scanner and STL data were obtained, and the interimplant distances were measured in a 3D analysis program. The obtained data were statistically evaluated with one-way ANOVA and Tukey's pairwise comparison tests. In all analyzes, the level of significance was determined as 0.05. Results: With the one-way ANOVA test, a total of 6 inter-implant distance measurement values belonging to the plaster and print models were found to have a statistically normal distribution. Again, as a result of the one-way ANOVA test, it was observed that the plaster, compression and reference model values had a significant relationship in all the distances between the implants. In Tukey pairwise comparison tests significant differences were found between models at all distance intervals. Conclusion: The values obtained in terms of accuracy of the models obtained by the 3D printing technique were found to be closer to the reference models compared to the plaster models. Models obtained with a 3D print device can be an alternative to plaster models when implants are placed in edentulous jaws. Keywords: accuracy, dental model, digital dentistry, three-dimentional printing