Multi-Material 3D Printing of a Customized Sports Mouth Guard: Proof-of-Concept Clinical Case

Alexey Unkovskiy, Fabian Huettig, Pablo Kraemer-Fernandez and Sebastian Spintzyk
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Alexey Unkovskiy: Department of Prosthodontics, Geriatric Dentistry and Craniomandibular Disorders, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt—Universität zu Berlin, 14197 Berlin, Germany
Fabian Huettig: Department of Prosthodontics at the Centre of Dentistry, Oral Medicine, and Maxillofacial Surgery with Dental School, Tuebingen University Hospital, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
Pablo Kraemer-Fernandez: Department of Prosthodontics at the Centre of Dentistry, Oral Medicine, and Maxillofacial Surgery with Dental School, Tuebingen University Hospital, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
Sebastian Spintzyk: Section Medical Materials Science and Technology, Tuebingen University Hospital, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 23, 1-7

Abstract: A multilayer mouth guard is known to have the best protective performance. However, its manufacturing in a digital workflow may be challenging with regards to virtual design and materialization. The present case demonstrates a pathway to fabricate a multilayer individualized mouth guard in a fully digital workflow, which starts with intraoral scanning. A free-form CAD software was used for the virtual design. Two various CAM techniques were used, including Polyjet 3D printing of rubber-like soft material and silicone printing using Drop-on-Demand technique. For both methods the outer layer was manufactured from more rigid materials to facilitate its protective function; the inner layer was printed from a softer material to aid a better adaptation to mucosa and teeth. Both 3D printed multilayer mouth guards showed a clinically acceptable fit and were met with patient appraisal. Their protective capacities must be evaluated in further clinical studies.

Keywords: sports medicine; dentistry; polyvinylsiloxane printing; bite guard; additive manufacturing; rapid manufacturing; intraoral scanning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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