Stratasys and 3Shape introduce an automated full-color workflow for 3D printing in dentistry

Stratasys and 3Shape have announced a new automated color 3D printing process using the 3Shape Dental System software and the Stratasys J5 DentaJet 3D printer. Using an intraoral scanner and 3Shape software, dental labs can capture information about the color and geometry of a patient’s mouth. Users of Stratasys 3D printers can then import data and print extremely accurate, personalized, full-color dental models.

“In dentistry, meticulous attention to aesthetics is critical, but accurate tooth color matching is particularly challenging and time-consuming,” said Rune Fisker, 3Shape’s senior vice president of product strategy. “For the first time, we are automating the entire workflow for 3Shape and J5 DentaJet customers. Dental labs will be able to easily take full advantage of the only dental printer capable of creating highly realistic replicas of a patient’s mouth from a TRIOS scan.”

The J5 DentaJet 3D printer allows prosthodontists to scale production by printing large, mixed batches of dental parts – including implant models, surgical templates and gingival masks – at the same time on the same tray. PolyJet technology provides geometric accuracy and precision for printed dental applications and is known for its full color printing capabilities, including realistic monolithic full color dental parts.

The unique new digital workflow offered by 3Shape enables users to take full advantage of these combined capabilities. 3Shape Dental System provides best-in-class workflow and seamless connectivity between dental practices and dental labs. The latest software release 2022.1 now includes support for the open standard 3MF files, capturing geometry and color information from intraoral scans.

“The darker stump color and the transparency of the crown make color matching with the rest of the patient’s teeth a real challenge,” said Ron Ellenbogen, Stratasys director of dental products. “Adding 3MF support to the 3Shape Dental System allows our customer to take advantage of the color capabilities of Stratasys PolyJet 3D printers to easily match the true color of the restoration. This new turnkey color workflow is an important step in expanding the color applications available on DentaJet’s J5 platform.”

3MF is an increasingly popular open-source file format published by the 3MF Consortium, of which Stratasys is a member. The format improves the workflow as it contains all model information in one package, even voxel-level control of the interior and metadata of the model. Stratasys is the only company to provide a PANTONE-Validated, full-color, multi-material 3D printer that can take full advantage of the 3MF format.

Source: Stratasys press materials