3D printing is gaining ground in removable prosthodontics

Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Fri. 3. April 2026

save

MUNICH, Germany: Additive manufacturing is rapidly gaining importance in removable prosthodontics. To inform clinicians, a recent review has provided an overview of current applications and their clinical performance and concluded that 3D printing is feasible for removable dentures, frameworks and occlusal devices. The authors also point to exciting future advances in multi-material printing, as well as in the mechanical and bioactive properties of resins.

Dr Oliver Schubert, lead author of a review on how 3D printing is becoming a clinically feasible option for complete dentures, removable partial denture frameworks, implant overdentures and occlusal splints. (Image: Dr Oliver Schubert)

Lead author Dr Oliver Schubert, deputy director of the department of prosthodontics at the LMU university hospital in Munich and a specialist in prosthodontics and implantology, said that the work was driven by a clear clinical need. “Removable prosthodontics remains essential in everyday care, but traditional workflows are labour-intensive and can make reproduction or modification difficult when a denture is lost or requires relining,” he told Dental Tribune International. At the same time, digital dentistry—particularly intra-oral scanning, CAD and additive manufacturing—has matured to enable efficient and scalable data-to-denture processes. “Removable solutions are especially well suited to 3D printing because they involve large-volume, patient-specific geometries where design freedom and streamlined production offer tangible clinical and logistical advantages,” he added.

From a clinical perspective, the review highlights current and emerging 3D-printing applications in removable prosthodontics. These include definitive complete dentures, removable partial denture frameworks and implant overdentures, as well as occlusal splints. The authors reported that 3D-printed complete dentures now achieve outcomes in fit and patient satisfaction comparable to those of conventional or milled options. They often require fewer appointments and allow for high reproducibility through digital archiving, supporting the fabrication of copy dentures.

The increasing adoption of multi-material and multilayer 3D printing is also expanding prosthetic and fabrication possibilities. In complete dentures, these approaches enable the printing of denture bases and teeth in a single build, reducing bonding and assembly steps while improving efficiency and structural integrity. For removable partial denture frameworks and implant overdentures, metal 3D-printing technologies such as selective laser melting allow cobalt–chromium or titanium alloy frameworks to be produced with favourable fit and promising mechanical performance. They also reduce laboratory effort compared with conventional casting.

3D printing of occlusal splints is already widely used, offering high accuracy, straightforward reproducibility and quick replacement. These advantages are especially relevant for patients with bruxism or temporomandibular disorder.

“Removable solutions are especially well suited to 3D printing because they involve large-volume, patient-specific geometries.”—Dr Oliver Schubert, LMU university hospital in Munich

Despite these advances, important limitations remain. According to senior author Josef Schweiger, head of the dental laboratory and digital dental technologies at the LMU university hospital, material performance and standardisation continue to present challenges. “Printed denture base resins sometimes exhibit inferior mechanical properties compared with milled PMMA,” he said, citing reduced flexural strength, hardness and bond strength. He also noted the lack of long-term clinical data on durability, wear, discoloration and microbial colonisation, as well as variability in printing parameters and post-processing, which contributes to heterogeneous outcomes.

Next-generation technologies are in development

Josef Schweiger, senior author of a review outlining how multi-material printing, improved resins and standardised workflows could advance 3D printing in removable prosthodontics. (Image: Josef Schweiger)

Looking ahead, the researchers anticipate progress in three main areas. In multi-material and hybrid manufacturing, more robust monolithic dentures combining the base and teeth in a single build are expected, alongside hybrid polymer–metal structures that reduce bonding interfaces and manual processing. In artificial intelligence-driven design and planning, increasing automation is anticipated in areas such as data segmentation, tooth arrangement, removable partial denture component design and quality control. In parallel, CAD platforms are beginning to combine intra-oral scans with facial, radiographic and other records to support more individualised digital planning, expanding the scope of printable restorations. Finally, advances in materials are expected to include reinforced, antimicrobial and resilient resins, as well as emerging applications such as sensor integration for bruxism monitoring and 4D-printed prostheses made from stimuli-responsive materials, such as dentures that adapt to ridge resorption.

Another innovation is multi-material selective laser melting for double-crown dentures, combining precious and non-precious alloys in a single framework to achieve gold-like friction with only a thin inner gold layer. Emerging applications also include removable splints made from tooth-coloured resin for aesthetic and functional evaluation before definitive restoration. Dr Schubert emphasised that careful material selection and processing remain critical. “3D printing is already delivering tangible clinical value in removable prosthodontics, particularly through improved reproducibility, digital archiving and streamlined workflows. However, long-term success will depend on stronger clinical evidence, more durable materials and standardised protocols,” he concluded.

The study, titled “Advances in 3D printing for removable prosthetics—insights and perspectives”, was published online on 6 January 2026 in the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry, ahead of inclusion in an issue.