Additive Fabrication

Additive manufacturing is another term used for 3D printing and this technology has revolutionized the dental implant industry. Implants that have been produced using additive fabrication often have better retention rates and can promote healing and osseointegration even in areas with poor bone quality. Additive fabrication or additive manufacturing is commonly used in the area of dental prosthetics, especially for the purpose of producing cost-effective dentures. When used in the dental implant industry, additive manufacturing can help reduce the cost of dental implants and create more customized implant solutions. 3D printing or additive fabrication can be used to create completely custom implants for patients with shallow bone or poor bone quality, as well as creating crowns that are designed to perfectly match the patient’s existing teeth for the most natural look possible. Most periodontists today use components during their dental implant procedures that were created with the use of additive fabrication technology.