3-D Printed Teeth are Revolutionizing Dentistry

3-D printers are making serious headlines lately, from printing exact heart replicas and assisting in heart surgery preparation to developing more effective seizure medications. The latest 3-D printing innovation, however, will have you heading to your dentist’s office in a jiffy. Dutch researchers at the University of Groningen are currently developing 3-D printed teeth made from antimicrobial plastic. As an antimicrobial, the plastic actually immediately kills the bacteria that leads to tooth decay. This may sound impossible, but science is developing at lightning fast speed in ways that can completely transform dentistry as we know it.

How Are the Teeth Made?

The Dutch researchers formulating this development embedded antimicrobial quaternary ammonium salts inside dental resin polymers. When put through a 3-D printer, this combination is hardened with ultraviolet light and printed in the form of replacement teeth. The experiment also included coating the printed teeth with actual human saliva that had been exposed to a range of decay-causing bacteria. Incredibly, the printed teeth killed over 99 percent of the bacteria!

Are These Teeth Ready For Public Use?

Unfortunately, the testing is still in its early stages. Clinical trials are still needed to test the printed teeth within a human mouth. Certain kinks need to be worked out, such as how the teeth respond to brushing and other substances the mouth may take in, such as alcohol or toothpaste. The researchers, however, are very confident and optimistic, stating that their medical advancement will not even take as much time to develop as a standard new drug would.

How is Dentistry Already Using 3-D Printers?

Currently, the most common use of 3-D printing in dental work involves printing fake teeth, gums, and nerves in order to create realistic models to assist in dental procedure planning. 3-D printing within the dental and medical market is expected to grow by a whopping $867 million in the next ten years. If you’re thinking of investing in stock, this might just be the industry!