3D-Printed Ultra-Thin Non-Prep Lithium Disilicate Veneers: A Proof-of-Concept Clinical Case

Objective

To test the clinical application of LCM-printed lithium disilicate veneers.

Clinical Considerations

A female patient with tooth wear was scanned with intraoral scanner (Prime Scan, Dentsply Sirona). The six non-prep veneers were designed (DentalCAD, Exocad) and printed from lithium disilicate with an LCM-printer with the thickness of 0.1–0.2 mm (CeraFab System S65 Medical, Lithoz GmbH). The green parts after printing were cleaned of the excess slurry and debindered in a furnace (Nabertherm, Lilienthal) until 430°C with a dwell time of 5 h to remove all polymeric binder. The resulting parts were sintered in an oven (Programat P510, Ivoclar Vivadent AG) at a temperature of 900°C. The supports were removed with a dental technician handpiece (Perfecta 900, W & H). The final restorations were stained (e-max Ceram, Ivoclar Vivadent AG) by a master dental technician.

Conclusions

The six LCM-printed ultra-thin non-prep lithium disilicate veneers were tried-in on the patient using a try-in glycerin gel (Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Lichtenstein) and demonstrated excellent fit and esthetics. LCM technology enabled the production of ultra-thin non-prep lithium disilicate veneers with layer thicknesses of down to 0.1 mm.

Clinical Significance

The 3D-printing of ultra-thin non-prep veneers is technically feasible and provides an adequate clinical outcome. Additive manufacturing of ultra-thin non-prep lithium disilicate veneers may pose a valid alternative to conventional and subtractive manufacturing.