Control of occlusal rehabilitation with 3D-printed crowns

Aim: With the development of new materials, 3D printing has had an immense impact on dentistry. The latest innovations are the direct manufacturing of temporary and permanent crown and bridge restorations, inlays, onlays, and veneers. In the present case report, 3D-printing technology was used to control and adjust the occlusal rehabilitation with 3D-printed crowns. Materials and methods: A 44-year-old male patient with pathologic dental attrition visited the Department of Restorative Dentistry at the University of Wurzburg (Wurzburg, Germany). The attrition process was far advanced, and no conventional conservative therapy was indicated. For the rehabilitation of the tooth substance loss, dental height, and appearance, a permanent solution with dental crowns was elected. After the preparation, the restorations were constructed digitally. For the control of the occlusal height, appearance, and color, the restorations were fabricated with a 3D printer and temporarily cemented. The crowns showed a high precision, and only minimal occlusal corrections were needed. After a trial period of 2 weeks and another fine occlusal adjustment, the temporary crowns were removed and scanned. The data were matched to the original construction file, which could be used to optimize the final rehabilitation. The final restorations were made of monolithic zirconia, with only minimal occlusal corrections required. Conclusion: At the present time, dentistry is experiencing a great shift toward new and interesting production solutions with 3D-printing technologies. Such technologies give dentists the ability to create more predictable and cost-effective treatments. 3D printing is already being used to create temporary and definitive dental crowns as well as complex treatments, as is shown in the present case report.