A novel digital workflow for fabricating artificial periodontal ligament using three-dimensional printing flexible resin: A dental technique

Hatem Alqarni; Mohammed A Alfaifi; Majed S Altoman; Abdulaziz A AlHelal; Walaa Magdy Ahmed; Amr Ahmed Azhari; Mathew T Kattadiyil

doi:10.1016/j.sdentj.2023.10.014

A novel digital workflow for fabricating artificial periodontal ligament using three-dimensional printing flexible resin: A dental technique

Saudi Dent J. 2024 Jan;36(1):123-128. doi: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2023.10.014. Epub 2023 Oct 29.

Authors

Hatem Alqarni^{1

2}, Mohammed A Alfaifi³, Majed S Altoman³, Abdulaziz A AlHelal⁴, Walaa Magdy Ahmed⁵, Amr Ahmed Azhari⁵, Mathew T Kattadiyil⁶

Affiliations

¹ Restorative and Prosthetic Dental Science Department, College of Dentistry, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
² King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, King Khalid University College of Dentistry, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Assistant Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Advanced Specialty Education Program in Prosthodontics, Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, Loma Linda, CA, United States.

Abstract

The fabrication of periodontal ligament (PDL) models for in vitro dental studies has seen a wide range of techniques and materials being utilized. This paper introduces a novel dental technique that employs a digital workflow for the fabrication of artificial PDL using three-dimensional printing of flexible resin. This innovative approach offers several advantages, including enhanced accuracy and realism in simulating PDL. The digital workflow facilitates a streamlined fabrication process, ensuring efficiency and precision. By presenting this novel technique, this digital approach contributes to the advancement of in vitro dental research, providing researchers with a reliable and realistic model for studying various dental phenomena.

Keywords: Digital dentistry; Flexible resin; In-vitro study; Novel workflow; Periodontal ligament; Subtractive manufacturing.