Digital splint manufacturing – current procedures and materials

Digitization has increasingly determined workflows in dental practices and laboratories for more than 30 years. Modern technology allows patients to be treated more pleasantly, for example, when making digital impressions or using digital registration techniques. In addition to digitally evaluating the patient-specific treatment, restorations and appliances such as oral splints can be designed using software and manufactured subtractively or additively. If lost or if they need to be reproduced, restorations and splints can thus be modified, re-milled, or reprinted with little effort. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the current digital procedures used as well as of materials currently available on the market to manufacture digital splints. Furthermore, the article compares splint materials. However, clinical studies still need to be undertaken before evidence-based recommendations can be made. Keywords: bruxism, craniomandibular dysfunction, 3D printing, splint therapy, subtractive manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing processes, digital workflow