Trends and Productivity in 3D Printing Technologies and Materials for Dental Research: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2013 to 2024.

Abstract

Purpose: Research on three-dimensional (3D) printing in dentistry has been widely studied, yet there is a gap in comprehensive bibliometric analysis focusing on materials and printing technologies used in this field. This study aims to analyze research trends from 2013 to 202 using a bibliometric approach, focusing on publication distribution, productivity, and trends in materials and 3D printing technologies in dentistry.

Material and methods: Data, including English language articles, were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection. Microsoft Excel and bibliometrix were used for quantitative analysis, while SPSS was employed for correlation and regression analysis.

Results: The analysis included 596 studies published in 161 journals. On average, each article received 13.47 citations, with 2,461 authors. International collaboration was significant, with 27.85% of studies involving co-authorship across countries. Publication volume has increased steadily, with an annual growth rate of 60.25%, peaking at 179 articles in 2023. The peak mean citation rate was 6.65 per article in 2019. Key authors and institutions from South Korea, Egypt, Switzerland, and Saudi Arabia. The USA led to article output and citations, followed by China and South Korea. This study identified key trends in material usage, highlighting the predominance of resin and zirconia, along with the significant use of DLP and SLA 3D printing technologies.

Conclusions: 3D printing in dental research has grown rapidly, peaking in 2023. Notable advancements in resins and the development of DLP and SLA technologies underscore the transformative potential of 3D printing in dentistry.