[Computer aided design and rapid manufacturing of removable partial denture frameworks].
OBJECTIVE
To introduce a method of digital modeling and fabricating removable partial denture (RPD) frameworks using self-developed software for RPD design and rapid manufacturing system.


METHODS
The three-dimensional data of two partially dentate dental casts were obtained using a three-dimensional crossing section scanner. Self-developed software package for RPD design was used to decide the path of insertion and to design different components of RPD frameworks. The components included occlusal rest, clasp, lingual bar, polymeric retention framework and maxillary major connector. The design procedure for the components was as following: first, determine the outline of the component. Second, build the tissue surface of the component using the scanned data within the outline. Third, preset cross section was used to produce the polished surface. Finally, different RPD components were modeled respectively and connected by minor connectors to form an integrated RPD framework. The finished data were imported into a self-developed selective laser melting (SLM) machine and metal frameworks were fabricated directly.


RESULTS
RPD frameworks for the two scanned dental casts were modeled with this self-developed program and metal RPD frameworks were successfully fabricated using SLM method. The finished metal frameworks fit well on the plaster models.


CONCLUSIONS
The self-developed computer aided design and computer aided manufacture (CAD-CAM) system for RPD design and fabrication has completely independent intellectual property rights. It provides a new method of manufacturing metal RPD frameworks.
Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Dental Computing, Ministry of Health, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China.
Jing
J
Han
Pei-jun
PJ
Lü
Yong
Y
Wang
D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D012984:Software