Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technologies, including NC- milling and 3D printing is now commonplace in clinics, hospitals, and dental labs. The team has demonstrated that manufacturing process affects the final device properties – surface roughness or geometrical defects can lead to clinical failures. However, most dental CAD/CAM systems do not account for these effects. The team is developing integrated CAD/CAM systems for patient-specific dental device. Projects include:

– Ceramic milled prostheses for dental tissue restoration

– 3D-printed splints for tissue preservation and, buccal environment monitoring

– 3D-printed thin ceramic prostheses for eroded teeth

Objectives are:

1. i) to optimize subtractive and additive manufacturing strategies;
2. ii) to develop new additive manufacturing processes.

These efforts aims to improve dental CAD/CAM for effective patient-specific dental devices.