295
The term of ‘silicone’ is used in the medical field to introduce the PDMS derivatives and PDMS based materials. However, the modern silicone is known as silane:
crystallin silicone and organosiloxanes (Ratner et al. 2006; Jindal et al. 2016, 2018).
While, silica is the second most common element that exists in nature after oxygen.
Three-dimensional (3D) printing is known as a rapid prototyping or additive
manufacturing, and is a revolution in all fabrication technologies. The cost of materials is reduced by using 3D printing and the accessibility of various types of materials in addition to rapid prototyping domestic applications has recently attracted
attention (Gutiérrez 2019). However, the variety of 3D printing materials is limited
compared to conventional industrial materials in terms of material color, material
cost and surface textures (Sherman 2009).
3D medical printing is more used in medicine and dentistry. Maxillofacial and
craniofacial reconstructions and the planning of the surgeries and future prostheses
are the most common applications in 3D printing technology. Surgical guides, custom implants and surgical guides can be easily manufactured through 3D printers.
3D medical printing consists of five different groups of technologies: binder jetting, material extrusion, material jetting, selective laser sintering and stereolithography (Mitsouras et al. 2015). However, stereolithographic or selective laser sintering
are the most common used technologies due to the greater hardness of the materials
which help easy application during surgical planning or application (Mitsouras
et al. 2015). Most applications in maxillofacial prosthodontics have consisted of
clinical case reports used in 3D printing for surgical planning, or manufacturing
molds for future prostheses (Sykes et al. 2004; Watson and Hatamleh 2014;
Shankaran et al. 2016; Federspil 2018; Ferreira and Vives 2019; Cevik and
Kocacikli 2019).
The disadvantages of most 3D printing materials are that they lack mechanical
strength because the bonding of the layers in the 3D manufacturing process is weak.
In addition, color, fracture strength and mechanical stabilities must be verified on a
3D printed object (Sherman 2009; Berman 2012). As an advantage, it is a process
that does not generate waste of material unlike milling processes. According to
Berman (2012), waste material is reduced by 40% in metal applications in 3D printing technologies compared to cutting/milling machines. In addition, 96% of waste
material could be recycled into 3D printing technologies, so it could also be considered as an economic process (Petrovic et al. 2011). 3D printing technologies could
also save time since a production material, especially an initial product, could be
manufactured by 3D printers faster than any other milling machineries (Berman
2012), as well as it could improve the manufacturing process of the maxillofacial
prosthesis compared to the conventional manufacturing process (Mine et al. 2019).
3D printing applications are used in the manufacture of small and medium-scale
applications, such as dental crowns, initial products, medical prostheses, prototypes
and replacement parts (Berman 2012; Stansbury and Idacavage 2016). In addition,
3D applications use automated manufacturing without the need for expensive molds
or tools (Berman 2012).
Negatively, 3D applications have some critical limitations in the manufacturing
process, such as limited heat, moisture and strength resistance, reduced surface finishes and material options, as well as reduced color diversity (Berman 2012).
12 Maxillofacial Silicone Elastomers in Dentistry
The term of ‘silicone’ is used in the medical field to introduce the PDMS derivatives and PDMS based materials. However, the modern silicone is known as silane:
crystallin silicone and organosiloxanes (Ratner et al. 2006; Jindal et al. 2016, 2018).
While, silica is the second most common element that exists in nature after oxygen.
Three-dimensional (3D) printing is known as a rapid prototyping or additive
manufacturing, and is a revolution in all fabrication technologies. The cost of materials is reduced by using 3D printing and the accessibility of various types of materials in addition to rapid prototyping domestic applications has recently attracted
attention (Gutiérrez 2019). However, the variety of 3D printing materials is limited
compared to conventional industrial materials in terms of material color, material
cost and surface textures (Sherman 2009).
3D medical printing is more used in medicine and dentistry. Maxillofacial and
craniofacial reconstructions and the planning of the surgeries and future prostheses
are the most common applications in 3D printing technology. Surgical guides, custom implants and surgical guides can be easily manufactured through 3D printers.
3D medical printing consists of five different groups of technologies: binder jetting, material extrusion, material jetting, selective laser sintering and stereolithography (Mitsouras et al. 2015). However, stereolithographic or selective laser sintering
are the most common used technologies due to the greater hardness of the materials
which help easy application during surgical planning or application (Mitsouras
et al. 2015). Most applications in maxillofacial prosthodontics have consisted of
clinical case reports used in 3D printing for surgical planning, or manufacturing
molds for future prostheses (Sykes et al. 2004; Watson and Hatamleh 2014;
Shankaran et al. 2016; Federspil 2018; Ferreira and Vives 2019; Cevik and
Kocacikli 2019).
The disadvantages of most 3D printing materials are that they lack mechanical
strength because the bonding of the layers in the 3D manufacturing process is weak.
In addition, color, fracture strength and mechanical stabilities must be verified on a
3D printed object (Sherman 2009; Berman 2012). As an advantage, it is a process
that does not generate waste of material unlike milling processes. According to
Berman (2012), waste material is reduced by 40% in metal applications in 3D printing technologies compared to cutting/milling machines. In addition, 96% of waste
material could be recycled into 3D printing technologies, so it could also be considered as an economic process (Petrovic et al. 2011). 3D printing technologies could
also save time since a production material, especially an initial product, could be
manufactured by 3D printers faster than any other milling machineries (Berman
2012), as well as it could improve the manufacturing process of the maxillofacial
prosthesis compared to the conventional manufacturing process (Mine et al. 2019).
3D printing applications are used in the manufacture of small and medium-scale
applications, such as dental crowns, initial products, medical prostheses, prototypes
and replacement parts (Berman 2012; Stansbury and Idacavage 2016). In addition,
3D applications use automated manufacturing without the need for expensive molds
or tools (Berman 2012).
Negatively, 3D applications have some critical limitations in the manufacturing
process, such as limited heat, moisture and strength resistance, reduced surface finishes and material options, as well as reduced color diversity (Berman 2012).
12 Maxillofacial Silicone Elastomers in Dentistry