Denture Manufacturer Improves Customer Satisfaction
“The Objet Eden260V 3D printer helps us optimize the dental modeling process by producing high-quality models, rapidly and precisely. 3D printing is critical for digital dentistry.”- Kevin Shi, Manager of Digital CAD/CAM Center, KTJ
Chewing Up the Competition
In China, the market for dental prostheses has seen rapid growth in recent years, a ¥4.35 billion market in 2012. KTJ Dental Technology Group, a highly reputable dental laboratory in China, needed to upgrade their manufacturing process to be more efficient and create a higher quality product to remain competitive. Specializing in various dental prostheses, including those for aesthetic dentistry, KTJ set a goal for reducing its production cycle without compromising quality and the satisfaction of their customers.
Optimizing the Dental Prosthese Fabrication Process
In order to meet the demands of the market and its customers, KTJ decided to invest in the Objet Eden260V 3D printer from Stratasys for the company’s CAD/CAM Digital Center. The technology would allow for rapid production with a high degree of customization and low costs. The technicians and engineers at KTJ used the Objet 3D printer during its dental modeling process which is a critical part of dental prostheses production. After a patient’s digital data is collected through intraoral 3D scanning, a technician places the patient’s digital data in CAD to create a printable STL file. The patient’s dental model is then 3D printed from the STL file. Finally, the 3D printed model is used as a base to test fitment of a variety of dental prostheses.
The Objet Eden260V has helped drastically reduce the time required for KTJ’s dental modeling process. The rapid production of dental crowns, bridges and fixtures have surpassed the company’s expectation of a digital manufacturing production. Kevin Shi, manager of KTJ’s Digital CAD/CAM Center says, “Digital dentistry has revolutionized the dental modeling process. Using the Objet Eden260V, a patient’s dental restoration can now be completed in just one day.”
Customization with Precise Parts
Digital Dentistry requires a high degree of customization due to the fact that each patient’s dental anatomy and conditions are unique. 3D scanning allows the Objet 3D printer to produce models that are accurate and simulate a patient’s unique dental conditions. These features help eliminate concerns of having a proper fit and patient discomfort because each model is a one-to-one customized product. Shi explains, “Customers are now happier with our treatments as it causes less pain and discomfort, and they can even take the dental models home as gifts”.
Going digital has dramatically reduced operational costs at KTJ. Previously, dental models were mailed to customers for testing which was both expensive and slow. With 3D printing technology, designs can be shared digitally and most importantly, instantly to KTJ’s clients. Shi adds, “The Objet Eden260V has boosted our business with a streamlined modeling process and lower costs while making our customers happier. It’s a big smile for everybody.”