TCT Magazine: EnvisionTEC Expanding Dental Materials, Printers

TCT Magazine |  Q4 2016 ~ EnvisionTEC’s growing role in driving 3D printing use in the dental industry, where it offers benefits for patients and dental professionals, was featured in TCT Magazine’s quarterly North American edition.

Special attention was given to the company’s new materials, such as E-Guard, which is a transparent biocompatible material for 3D printing bite splints and night guards, and its 3D printers made specifically for dentists and orthodontists, such as the Vida.

“The dental industry has been one of the first industries to fully adapt to digital workflows whether that’s scanning or 3D printing and now we’re getting intricate enough and more advanced to where we can directly 3D print these appliances which is a really exciting step forward,” Chris Kabot, Dental Applications Specialist at EnvisionTEC, told the magazine.

The classification of these materials indicates a growing confidence from federations like the FDA in 3D printed products but it still remains a challenge to get these materials into day-to-day practice with different organisations across the globe requiring varying standards.

“The FDA has really just started to understand additive processes and one of the first things we’re trying to do is establish some standards,” Chris added. “I think as we start to get more advanced with the technology and as we go into this next evolution of machines, standards around accuracy and resolution are going to be much more important for us as a 3D printing company and the same goes for the FDA, they care about how long this material is going to hold its shape, are any of the chemicals going to leak out and actually affect the patient?”