3D Printed Orthodontic Appliance Supports for Thin-Shell Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D printing methods for orthodontic dental appliances with thin shell structures face challenges such as deformation during printing, complex support structures, and increased manufacturing costs due to excessive support material usage and difficulty in removing supports, leading to resin and cleaning agent waste.
Innovation Solution
A support structure for 3D printed orthodontic dental appliances comprising a middle support with a base mesh and struts connected to the appliance's junction, and a main support connecting to a build platform, designed to minimize contact area and facilitate easy removal, using inter-connected triangles and varying strut diameters to stabilize the appliance during and after printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If printing support is used to stabilize the thin shell structure during printing and washing, then the quality and accuracy of the orthodontic dental appliance is improved, but the complexity of the support structure increases and more support material is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is divided into multiple independent support regions, each corresponding to different areas of the orthodontic dental appliance. Each support region can be independently adjusted or removed, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining stability during printing and washing processes
Solution Approach 2:
Different support structures are applied to different regions of the orthodontic dental appliance based on local requirements. Areas requiring higher stability receive more robust support, while other areas use minimal support, optimizing both accuracy and structural simplicity
2Manufacturing precision
If more printing support is used to prevent deformation of the thin shell structure, then the quality of the orthodontic dental appliance is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to resin waste and cleaning agent waste
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is designed to be easily separable from the orthodontic dental appliance. Supports are positioned and configured to allow clean removal without requiring excessive cleaning agents, and the support geometry is optimized to minimize resin material consumption while maintaining functional stability
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is designed as a temporary element that is removed after serving its purpose during printing and washing. The design enables efficient removal with minimal waste of cleaning resources, and the support geometry is optimized to reduce resin material usage
3Manufacturing precision
If more printing support is used to maintain the form of the orthodontic dental appliance during washing, then the quality is improved, but the difficulty of removing the support structures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into multiple independent regions that can be removed separately. This segmentation allows operators to remove supports in a systematic manner, reducing the overall difficulty and time required for support removal while maintaining form stability during washing
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the support structure are designed with different removal characteristics based on local requirements. Supports in areas where easy removal is critical are designed with specific geometries that facilitate quick detachment, while other areas use stronger support configurations
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a support of a 3D printed orthodontic dental appliance is provided. The orthodontic dental appliance includes a shell structure defined by an inner contour surface and an outer contour surface. The support comprises: a middle support including a middle support base mesh and a plurality of middle support struts and a main support configured to connect the middle support to a build platform of a 3D printing device used to print the orthodontic dental appliance. One end of each middle support strut of the plurality of middle support struts is connected to the orthodontic dental appliance at a junction of the inner contour surface and the outer contour surface, and the other end of the middle support strut is connected to a rim of the middle support base mesh.