Abstract:

Aim: The aim of this paper is to review the available literature on 3D printed dentures in terms of the used materials and their biocompatibility in comparison with conventional heat-polymerized PMMA resins.
Materials and methods: The research relied on Google Scholar and PubMed publications in English.
Results: Since the technology for printing removable dentures is relatively new, the number of studies on the sensitivity of polymers for printing to microbial adhesion is few. The main goal of all new technologies and materials is to surpass conventional ones in quality but the literature currently presents conflicting opinions regarding the colonization of microorganisms and biofilm formation on the surfaces of 3D-printed dentures. The question of the biocompatibility of the materials used for 3D printed dentures is relevant, as confirmed by the active research of existing materials and the search for new materials with antibacterial properties.
Conclusions: Despite the increasingly widespread use of 3D technologies for the fabrication of removable dentures, some questions remain unresolved and one of them is about materials biocompatibility. Additive manufacturing is becoming an alternative to conventional methods for making removable dentures, but more studies on the biological properties of printing materials are needed to prove their clinical effectiveness.

Keywords: 3D dentures, biocompatibility, biofilm formation