Three-Dimensional Printing Resin-Based Dental Provisional Crowns and Bridges: Recent Progress in Properties, Applications, and Perspectives

• Published in: Materials Vol. 18; no. 10; p. 2202
• Main Authors: Liang, Xiaoxu, Yu, Biao, Dai, Yuan, Wang, Yueyang, Hu, Mingye, Zhong, Hai-Jing, He, Jingwei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10.05.2025; MDPI
• Subjects: 3-D printers; 3D printing; Accuracy; Additive manufacturing; Biocompatibility; Biomechanics; Curing; Dental materials; Efficiency; Evidence-based medicine; Flexural strength; Fracture toughness; Glycerol; Implants, Artificial; Innovations; Interlayers; Lasers; Light; Lithography; Liu, Timothy; Mechanical properties; Orthodontics; Photopolymerization; Physical properties; Polymerization; Prostheses; Prosthesis; Prosthodontics; Resins; Review; Three dimensional printing; Viscosity; Workflow; Switzerland; China; clinical application; resin; 3D printing; properties; digital dentistry; provisional crowns and bridges
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma18102202

Three-dimensional (3D) printing represents a pivotal technological advancement in dental prosthetics, fundamentally transforming the fabrication of provisional crowns and bridges through innovative vat photopolymerization methodologies, specifically stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP). This comprehensive scholarly review critically examines the technological landscape of 3D-printed resin-based dental provisional crowns and bridges, systematically analyzing their material performance, clinical applications, and prospective developmental trajectories. Empirical investigations demonstrate that these advanced restorations exhibit remarkable mechanical characteristics, including flexural strength ranging from 60 to 90 MPa and fracture resistance of 1000–1200 N, consistently matching or surpassing traditional manufacturing techniques. The digital workflow introduces substantial procedural innovations, dramatically reducing fabrication time while simultaneously achieving superior marginal adaptation and internal architectural precision. Despite these significant technological advancements, critical challenges persist, encompassing material durability limitations, interlayer bonding strength inconsistencies, and the current paucity of longitudinal clinical evidence. Contemporary research initiatives are strategically focused on optimizing resin formulations through strategic filler incorporation, enhancing post-processing protocols, and addressing fundamental limitations in color stability and water sorption characteristics. Ultimately, this scholarly review aims to provide comprehensive insights that will inform evidence-based clinical practices and delineate future research trajectories in the dynamically evolving domain of digital dentistry, with the paramount objective of advancing patient outcomes through technological innovation and precision-driven methodological approaches.