Three-dimensional printing: A tool for redefining pediatric dental practice

Abstract

As the technology is emerging rapidly, the health industry has shifted its standard towards providing the best and minimally invasive, novel treatment options to the patients to choose from three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. After its introduction in medicine and health care, 3D printing technologies are advanced manufacturing technologies based on computer-aided design (CAD) digital objects to create customized 3D objects automatically with the help of software. 3D printing technology is valuable to clinicians as well as patients as it is time-saving and helps the clinician to view the precise anatomy and fabricate patient-specific models, surgical guides, stents, prostheses, and drug delivery systems. Because of its advantages, it is widely used in various branches of dentistry and its application in Pediatric dentistry has also taken a broad path. 3D printing will play a larger role in dentistry in the future. The integration of scanning, visualization, CAD, milling, and 3D printing technology, together with the profession’s intrinsic curiosity and innovation, makes this an exciting time to be in dentistry. Hence, the aim of this review article is to provide knowledge and awareness about 3D printing and its application in pediatric dentistry.