Do you remember the first iPhone? In June of 2007 when the first iPhone came out, it had no App Store. That’s right! The only apps it had were the ones that came native on the original iOS: phone, text, calendar, photos, and the like. There was no way to add any other functionality.
With iOS 2 a year later, Apple added the App Store—and the smartphone game exploded. It was the right confluence of technology with application that made the iPhone a must-have. I think we are heading to that same confluence with 3D printing. The technology is there— we just need more applications. SprintRay is doing that with their new OnX resin.
OnX is a nanoceramic hybrid class II 3D printing resin specifically made to produce denture teeth and hybrids. OnX resin features an optimal combination of translucency and opacity to mimic natural dentition. The ceramic content gives esthetics better than previous 3D printed denture teeth.
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A big advantage of OnX is that it allows you to keep some of the hybrid fabrication in-house. Once a design is achieved, a provisional hybrid can be printed in OnX, and then finished and characterized in-house, quickening workflows and reducing costs. OnX requires minimal resin preparation and has quick and easy finishing—around seven times faster than other resins on the market.
From a strength perspective, OnX measures up. With a flexural strength of 147 MPa, it is 17% stronger than the leading competitor, hopefully ensuring we have less breakage during normal use. Its flexural modulus is twice that of the leading competitor, which prevents distortion and inaccuracy. Finally, OnX’s impact strength is 30% stronger than the leading competitor. This higher impact strength reduces the chances of breakage under load.
Esthetics is another main advantage of using SprintRay’s OnX resin. You have three shade options for OnX: bleach, A1, and B1. It’s certainly not the full Vita shade guide slew of shades; however, when doing this type of dentistry on patients, they always want lighter shades. This gives you some choices within that framework. Let’s be honest. If they made A4, no one would order it. Patients want white teeth after treatment like this. OnX gives you that.
I believe that there will be a day when every dental office has a 3D printer. What stands between now and that day are more applications for 3D printing. OnX takes a big step in the right direction on that. Having a beautiful, easy-to-use material for printing hybrids and denture teeth is a great application.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the March 2022 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
