3D Printing

3D printing in orthodontics is mostly found in the additive form in contrast to general dentistry especially prosthodontics, where most of the printing is in the form of subtraction 3D printing. 3D printing takes place in the middle part of a digital workflow following the acquisition of digital dental records and utilisation of CAD for the manipulation of records and the design stage of orthodontic appliances. 3D printing was first conceptualised in 1980s and has improved at an immeasurable magnitude since then. 3D printing is not an isolated production process and other post-processing stages such as post printing washing and ultraviolet (UV) curing are also needed. The post-printing processes will also depend on the type of 3D printer being used. In this chapter, the processes and types of 3D printers available is explained in detail and simplified in order to increase familiarity and knowledge in the subject matter.