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Innovations in Digital Dentistry: Novel Materials and Technologies

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Dr. Marcia Borba

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Guest Editor

Division of Dentistry, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Interests: dental materials; dentistry; dental ceramics; restorative materials

Dr. Paula Benetti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Graduate Program in Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
Interests: dental materials; dentistry; dental ceramics; operative dentistry; prosthodontics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advancements in digital dentistry have significantly expanded the variety of dental materials available for patient rehabilitation. The digital workflow enhances collaboration among dentists, dental laboratories, and patients, improving the precision, cost-effectiveness, and overall success of rehabilitation processes. Advances in scanning technologies, CAD/CAM systems, and 3D printing have led to the development of innovative materials and techniques that are transforming dental practices through technology. Additionally, specialized artificial intelligence tools have been developed to optimize disease diagnosis, treatment planning, and execution, as well as to support dental education and research.

This Special Issue invites submissions that investigate various aspects of digital dentistry, with a focus on innovation in dental materials, new bonding techniques, additive and subtractive manufacturing technologies, and artificial intelligence tools. The aim of this initiative is to enhance the understanding of digital dentistry and its potential within contemporary dental practice.

This Special Issue focuses on the digital workflow in dentistry, which includes (but is not limited to) the following:

Intraoral and extraoral scanning;
CAD/CAM technology (subtractive manufacturing);
3D printing (additive manufacturing);
Dental materials for subtractive and additive manufacturing;
Artificial Intelligence.

Dr. Marcia Borba
Dr. Paula Benetti
Guest Editors

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Research

13 pages, 4489 KB

Open AccessArticle

Fatigue Resistance of Customized Implant-Supported Restorations

by Ulysses Lenz, Renan Brandenburg dos Santos, Megha Satpathy, Jason A. Griggs and Alvaro Della Bona

Materials 2025, 18(14), 3420; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18143420 - 21 Jul 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 420

Abstract

The design of custom abutments (CA) can affect the mechanical reliability of implant-supported restorations. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of design parameters on the fatigue limit of CA and to compare optimized custom designs with the reference abutment (RA). A morse-tapered dental implant, an anatomical abutment, and a connector screw were digitalized using microcomputed tomography. A cone beam computed tomography scan was obtained from one of the authors to virtually place the implant-abutment assembly in the upper central incisor. Ten design parameters were selected according to the structural geometry of the RA and the implant planning. A reverse-engineered RA model was created in SOLIDWORKS and was modified considering a Taguchi orthogonal array to generate 36 CAs with ±20% dimensional variations. Finite element analysis was conducted in ABAQUS, and fatigue limits were estimated using Fe-safe. ANOVA (α = 0.1) identified the most influential parameters. Von Mises stress values ranged from 229 MPa to 302 MPa, and 94.4% of the CAs had a higher fatigue limit than the RA. Three parameters significantly affected the fatigue performance of the implant system. The design process of custom abutments includes critical design parameters that can be optimized for longer lifetimes of implant-abutment restorations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Digital Dentistry: Novel Materials and Technologies)

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15 pages, 5452 KB

Open AccessArticle

Roughness and Gloss of 3D-Printed Crowns Following Polishing or Varnish Application

by Silvia Rojas-Rueda, Tariq Aziz Alsahafi, Mohammed Hammamy, Neeraj Surathu, Nitish Surathu, Nathaniel C. Lawson and Taiseer A. Sulaiman

Materials 2025, 18(14), 3308; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18143308 - 14 Jul 2025

Viewed by 429

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the surface roughness and gloss—both initially and after simulated toothbrushing—of three 3D-printed crown materials subjected to different surface treatments: varnishing, polishing with diamond-impregnated rubber polishers, and polishing with a bristle brush and paste. Disc-shaped specimens (n = 90) were 3D-printed using three commercially available crown resins (Rodin Sculpture, VarseoSmile TriniQ, and OnX Tough 2) and post-processed per manufacturers’ instructions. Specimens were divided into three surface treatment groups: application of a light-cured varnish, polishing with a two-step diamond-impregnated rubber polisher, or polishing with a bristle brush and abrasive paste. Surface roughness and gloss were measured after treatment and again following 20,000 cycles of simulated toothbrushing. Additional specimens were prepared for Vickers microhardness testing and determination of filler weight percentage (wt%). Statistical comparisons were performed using two-way ANOVA with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The varnish provided the statistically lowest roughness of all surface treatments for all materials. The bristle brush and abrasive paste polishing protocol produced the greatest gloss for the softest material (VarseoSmile TriniQ) and lowest gloss for the hardest material (Rodin Sculpture), whereas the two-step diamond-impregnated rubber polisher produced an equivalent gloss on all materials. Following toothbrushing, roughness was minimally affected; however, gloss was considerably reduced. Conclusions: All tested polishing and varnishing methods achieved clinically acceptable surface roughness (Ra < 0.2 µm) that persisted after simulated toothbrushing. Notably, the two-step diamond-impregnated rubber polisher produced consistent gloss across all materials, while the bristle brush and abrasive paste polishing protocol performed better on softer materials, and varnish application resulted in equal or superior gloss and roughness retention compared to polishing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Digital Dentistry: Novel Materials and Technologies)

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