Orthotown March 2014 - (Page 10)

orthotown.com // message board 3D Printers All things 3D is the future of orthodontics. Read about the future. Orthotown.com > Message Boards > Clinical Topics > Clinical Orthodontics > 3D Printers ilovebraces Member Since: 08/21/11 Post: 1 of 16 Does anyone have an in-office 3D printer? We have an iTero scanner but we also have an in-house lab person so we still take alginates for retainers, expanders, etc. Great Lakes Orthodontics sells the Objet 30 for $44,295. A little rich for my blood. Then I found the Maker Bot Replicator two for $1,999. Much more reasonable price. I just don't know if the models would be accurate enough. n DEC 18 2013 Dr-T Member Since: 05/19/09 Post: 2 of 16 I am also interested in purchasing a 3D printer. The dental ones just seemed 100 times more expensive than the ones for commercial use. I think this is something we will see significant price drops within the next few years. n DEC 18 2013 orthothai Member Since: 10/14/13 Post: 3 of 16 The reason for the difference in price is the degree of precision you need. A 3D printer at $2,000 will have a good definition but not a good precision, it will not be useable in clinic. My father works in jewelry and they are using a lot of 3D printing (design on computer, and wax or resin printing before casting). His company was looking to buy one; the prices are around the same $40,000 - $60,000 and you must have a contract for maintenance. If you want to have consistent precision results, you need to have the machine calibrated almost weekly. I am not sure that the price will drop in the near future. The precision, which is critical in dental, is more a question of mechanical parts. You need a very precise machine, in other words, and this is not a parameter where price goes down so much with time. I do not really see the point to have this in a private practice; it is more a tool for a lab. Comparison with a 2D printer does not hold on this one because 2D printers are used for not-so-precise printing. n DEC 18 2013 dcash Member Since: 11/11/04 Post: 4 of 16 Interesting timing as I'm just in negotiations for the Objet 30 (or "ortho desk") as we speak. You can get it for about $42,000 but there are some software and warranty packages that get a little spendy. Also the epoxy is expensive, but there are some cost saving techniques to keep things manageable ("hollow" models, etc.). I'm going to pull the trigger for sure by early spring. I'll do a posting after the install and training if anyone is interested. n DC DEC 18 2013 Dr-T Member Since: 05/19/09 Post: 5 of 16 I just had time to watch the MakerBot video. They state 100 micron resolution. That sounds pretty impressive if they can actually live up to their advertisement. I believe these will eventually replace Invisalign as we will be able to make in-house aligners from an intraoral scan not too far off into the future. n DEC 18 2013 ilovebraces Member Since: 08/21/11 Post: 6 of 16 Dcash, are you purchasing the Objet 30 for use in your own office or for adding model printing to Cx Orthodontics Supply services? n DEC 18 2013 continued on page 12 10 MARCH 2014 // orthotown.com http://www.orthotown.com http://www.Orthotown.com http://www.orthotown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown March 2014

Orthotown.com Highlights
Wired for Success: A Case for CBCT Volumes and Intra-oral Scans to Replace Plaster and Digital Models
3D Printers
Assistants Scheduling Appointments
How to Turn Consultations into Bandings?
New Products
Best Direct Bonding Protocol
Integrating Technology into the New Patient Exam
You Should Know: Pacific Dental Services
Ad Index

Orthotown March 2014