What Materials are Used in Dental 3D Printing?

In recent years, additive manufacturing technology has rapidly transformed the dental industry. The dental 3D printing market is set to expand from $4.99 billion in 2025 to $41.09 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of 26.42%. ^[1] The primary reasons behind this growth are the efficiency improvements and the reduction in material waste it brings to dental clinics.

The key to achieving efficient 3D printing in dental lies in the materials used. However, dental 3D printing materials differ from those in other industries. Due to the high demands for durability, precision, and aesthetics, the materials are specially designed resins, each tailored for different applications such as surgical guides, dental models, and more.

So, what materials are used in dental 3D printing? Keep reading to learn more.

What Materials are Used in Dental 3D Printing?

Let’s start with the classification of 3D printing dental materials, which can be divided into restoration materials (used for manufacturing temporary restorations) and dental model materials (used for printing functional models). Taking SHINING 3D DENTAL’s dental 3D printing materials as an example:

1. Print Temporary Restorations

Temporary restorations play a role in protecting tooth structure, maintaining space, and restoring chewing function and aesthetics in dental treatment. They are temporarily placed in the patient’s mouth to facilitate daily use and subsequent treatments. 3D printing in dental can help rapidly obtain temporary restorations within tens of minutes.

1) What can be Printed?

• · Transitional Veneers: Primarily used in the anterior tooth region to protect prepared teeth and maintain aesthetics before the final restorations are completed.
• · Removable Denture: Includes temporary crowns, bridges, and removable dentures, used to restore the function and morphology of missing teeth, protect abutment teeth and periodontal tissues, and prevent over-growth of opposing teeth. For example, removable dentures can be used to restore chewing function during dental implant procedures.

2) What Materials are Available?

CB11 Try-in Crown and Bridge Material is specifically designed for temporary dental crowns and bridges during the try-in stage, offering exceptional morphology and precision (<0.03mm when compared with 3D scan), and providing a realistic preview of the final restoration. It features:

• · Certification from China’s NMPA.
• · Free from MMA and THF-MA additives, and has passed tests for cytotoxicity and biocompatibility.
• · Fracture resistance, flexural strength, high wear resistance, and low water absorption, ensuring durability and dimensional accuracy during the try-in period.
• · Available in seven shades: A1, A2, A3, A3.5, B1, B2, and B3, allowing for the restoration of realistic and natural tooth color and texture even during the transitional phase, thereby enhancing patient satisfaction.

2. Print Restoration Models

Restoration models are important auxiliary tools in dental treatment, used for surgical guidance, oral analysis, prosthesis fabrication, and more. Models must be produced quickly and accurately to meet the demands of busy dental clinics and ensure the precision of restorations. The 3D printing dentistry strikes a balance between the two.

What can be printed, and what materials are available?

1） Surgical Guides – SG01

Surgical guides assist doctors in accurately determining surgical positions and angles. SG01 is a transparent and biocompatible resin used for printing surgical guides, such as implant guides, gingival cutting guides, and orthodontic bracket bonding guides. It is certified by the FDA as a Class I medical instrument and complies with ISO 10993 standards.  

SG01 is a rigid polymer with minimal flexibility, allowing it to maintain its shape during dental surgical procedures. Plus, it is biocompatible and suitable for short-term oral contact, but not exceeding 24 hours.  

When using SHINING 3D DENTAL’s AccuFab-F1 printer, it can be cured in approximately 5 minutes.

2） Denture Bases – DT01/ DT02

If you need to print denture bases, SHINING 3D DENTAL offers DT01 and DT02 for selection. They are photopolymer resins, both free from TPO, MMA, and THF-MA, making them suitable for sensitive patients as well.  

DT01/DT02 exhibit stable color, are odorless, and are easy to clean. High hardness, flexural strength, and low water absorption provide stable and well-fitting support for the denture structure over the long term.  

Common applications include denture bases, retainers, night guards, custom dental appliances, and more.

3） Orthodontic Models & Retainer – OD02

OD02 is perfectly suited for printing models used in the fabrication of orthodontic aligners and retainers. The printed models feature high detail reproduction, high surface hardness, and high edge stability.

After curing, the models can withstand the high-pressure impact of thermoforming instruments and exhibit minimal deformation under high temperatures (accuracy retention >90%), resulting in higher precision in the formation of invisible aligners.

This avoids the time and material waste associated with rework due to issues with model accuracy and strength in dental clinics.

4） Orthodontic Adhesive Guides – IBT

IBT is specifically designed for printing orthodontic adhesive guides. The guides can be easily bent and fitted to the patient’s dentition for quick positioning of orthodontic brackets. It features high transparency, allowing handheld UV light sources to penetrate and cure light-curing cements. What’s more, compared to similar resins on the market, it has no unpleasant odor.

5） Custom Tray Models – TR01

TR01 is used for producing custom tray models for try-in crowns, bridges, and custom impressions, offering excellent structural stability. Its high elastic modulus allows the printed trays to resist bending under high pressure, resulting in more accurate impressions.

Additionally, its biocompatibility permits safe short-term use in the oral cavity. The pure white color of the material makes it suitable for aesthetic wax patterns and diagnostic dentures.

6） Temporary Tooth Models – DM03/ DM12

DM03 and DM12 are ideal choices for printing implant models and crown/bridge separated models. DM03 is a gray resin, while DM12 is a yellow resin. Both exhibit high toughness and resistance to high pressure.

After curing, the temporary tooth models demonstrate high hardness and mechanical properties, enabling them to effectively resist wear during the installation and adjustment of crowns and bridges while ensuring a good fit. For example, temporary tooth models made from DM03 resin maintain an accuracy of >90% within 10 days and >85% within 15 days.

7） Nightguard  

Nightguards absorb and disperse biting forces, used to protect teeth from damage caused by bruxism. Therefore, the material must be tough and durable, with high impact resistance and good elasticity to withstand significant nighttime biting forces, while ensuring biocompatibility and wearing comfort.

8） Splint – SS01/ SH01

SS01 is an ideal solution for printing soft splints, excelling in transparency, morphology, and occlusion. It possesses high tensile strength and excellent flexural strength, helping to maintain dental stability. Its transparent color allows it to be used not only for splints but also for night guards.

SH01 resin is specifically designed for manufacturing rigid splints and other devices requiring high strength and dimensional accuracy. This resin is highly regarded for its ability to produce robust, stable, and durable devices while providing an excellent intraoral fit.

For best results, it is recommended to store SS01/SH01 at room temperature (23±2°C) with humidity below 70%.

What Equipment Do You Need for Dental 3D Printing?

In addition to the 3D printing dental materials mentioned above, what kind of 3D printers for dentistry do you need?

The first aspect to note is the difference between open and closed 3D printing systems. A closed system means your 3D printer can only use materials from the same brand, while an open system allows you to choose the material brand you want, but with some limitations. Beyond this, printing technology, printing speed, throughput, accuracy, ease of use, software integration, and post-processing capabilities are equally important.

In this regard, SHINING 3D DENTAL AccuFab-F1 is a trustworthy choice. It is a DLP light-curing printer with a printing speed of up to 150 mm per hour and maintains a high printing accuracy of ±25 μm. Other features include:

• · An open material system that is compatible with all the materials mentioned above and other dental materials from industry-leading brands, but needs validating.
• · Dual automatic heating for the material tank, quick film replacement, and multiple error-proof designs (such as missing parts or residue detection) to ensure continuous printing reliability.
• · The HyperClear resin tank delivers exceptionally clear and high-definition prints.
• · Supports automatic integration with washing and curing devices, providing a highly integrated, time-saving, and effortless operation experience.

Conclusion

Dental 3D printing has brought numerous conveniences to dental diagnosis and treatment. From temporary crown and bridge materials to guide resins, each specialized material is designed for its specific scenarios, such as restoration, orthodontics, implantation, and guide fabrication. They significantly enhance treatment efficiency.

SHINING 3D DENTAL offers the AccuFab-F1 printer and a variety of printing materials, providing clinics with comprehensive options. If your clinics have any need for 3D printing dentistry, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

References

[1] Dental 3D Printing Market drives precision as digital dentistry adoption accelerates globally. Available at: https://www.precedenceresearch.com/dental-3d-printing-market (Accessed: 1 September 2025)