Dental Asia November/December 2021

Behind the Scenes
More than a simple
manufacturing alternative
Thanks to validated Ceramill workflow, precisely fitting
3D-printed full dentures is now possible.
Ceramill workflow is a “for Ceramill” support
and Buildstyle for the printing process we
developed together with 3D Systems. These
are adapted to the workflow of Amann
Girrbach and also contribute to creating
an excellent fit. The focus here was on
the fit of the teeth and bases.
in the final fabrication of the full denture.
Additionally, there is a checklist which, in case
of problems, points out possible sources of
error and highlights the important steps for an
accurately fitting result. DA
Amann Girrbach has successfully developed
and marketed innovations for digital dentures
over the years. With the addition of 3D printing
capabilities, the Ceramill Full Denture System
offers the broadest range of digital denture
fabrication options in the industry – from
the highest quality, highly individual milled
dentures to cost-efficient 3D printed dentures.
So, how can these benefit the users?
Gerrit Scholz, MSc, development engineer at
Amann Girrbach’s Research and Development
department (above), answers this question
by giving light to the integrated and easy-toimplement
workflows of the Ceramill System.
What makes 3D printing of full dentures
within the Ceramill System so unique?
Scholz: The Denture 3D+ material from 3D
Systems has been extensively validated by
our research and development department.
This thorough examination has enabled us
to greatly optimise both the design and the
production process, so that reproducible and
accurately fitting full dentures are guaranteed
and can be fabricated by Ceramill customers
in a most efficient manner (Fig. 1).
On the software side, validated and
coordinated CAD parameters are essential for
the 3D printing result. To this end for example,
the Ceramill D-Flow software offers tooth
pocket gap parameters adapted to the tooth
concept (Ceramill FDS or Vigo) (Fig. 2). On the
production side, the special feature of the
In addition, during validation of the material at
our facility, the print or fit accuracy was found
to be dependent on the material level or level of
the 3D printer. To this effect, we have developed
a Level Tool (available in the C3 and/or AG.Live
portal) (Fig. 3), with which the appropriate
filling level for the respective printing job can
be achieved. In direct interaction with the “for
Ceramill” Buildstyle, the Filling Level Tool creates
precisely fitting results for the customer.
Automatic orientation and additional
assistance structures are further features
offered by the Ceramill workflow. What
roles do they play?
Both are important factors which influence an
accurately fitting result. Even slight deviations in
orientation can significantly influence the fit of
full dentures. For this reason, orientation of the
full dentures in the Ceramill workflow is selected
such to ensure an optimal tooth and base fit
on the model. This orientation is automatically
transferred from the Ceramill software to the 3D
Sprint 3D-printing software from 3D Systems,
thus avoiding incorrect orientation. The placing
of additional assistance structures (Fig. 4)
serves as stabilisation during the printing
process and thus prevents distortion during the
fabrication process with the NextDent5100 for
Ceramill.
How difficult is this step for beginners?
To provide customers with a quick and
easy introduction, detailed instructions are
available, which explain all the steps involved
Fig. 1: Checking the final fit of the printed full
dentures in the articulator
Fig. 2: Selecting the tooth pocket gap (here: FDS
system) in the Ceramill Mind Software
Fig. 3: The Filling Level Tool helps to find the
appropriate material level
Fig. 4: Assistance structures (yellow) in the 3DSprint
for Ceramill Software
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DENTAL ASIA NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021