Kulzer launches 3D printer for dental labs

Kulzer announced that it is launching cara Print 4.0, a 3D printer reportedly capable of printing a wide and expanding range of dental appliances for dental laboratories. The printer rounds out a comprehensive line of digital workflow solutions offered under the cara brand.

cara Print 4.0 is designed to meet the needs of dental technicians for a faster, more economical method of producing polymer-based dental appliances in-house. Not only does it provide a cost-effective alternative to milling for certain indications, but it is also said to be priced more competitively than other 3D printers on the market while still meeting all accuracy requirements.

Trending article: The latest hourly and annual salary numbers for dental lab technicians

"The Digital Light Projection (DLP) technology makes cara Print 4.0 quicker, more economical and more accurate than laser light technology, and in fact it’s even faster than most other DLP systems,” says Jeremy Thomas, president, USA and Canada, and head of the Americas region at Kulzer. “While many 3D printers are marketed to dental professionals, they weren’t built with the dental professional in mind. It was important that cara Print 4.0 be designed specifically for dental professionals, and that it be supported by Kulzer’s dental experts.”

In addition to processing most restorations within one hour, cara Print 4.0 results in smoother, more homogeneous surfaces than competing 3D printers, while the long-lasting material tray remains transparent and stable as long as it is not mechanically damaged. To generate further cost savings, the cara Print 4.0 relies on a simple refill system rather than a cartridge system.

This combination of advanced features helps dental laboratories improve productivity on a sustained basis.
Key benefits of cara Print 4.0 are said to be:

• Quickness: expected to be the fastest on the dental market upon launch.

• Precision: exceeds 3D-accuracy requirements for all applications.

• Economical: reduces costs and processing time for many applications when compared to analog methods, milling and other 3D printers.

Part of a comprehensive, open system

The cara system for 3D printing is an open system that works with open .stl files commonly used by CAD programs, such as 3Shape. Laboratory technicians are encouraged to use cara Print 4.0 together with Kulzer’s own dima Print materials and to then post-cure in the HiLite® Power 3D. Doing so reportedly ensures the highest quality results and guaranteed clinical performance.

Support for lasting success

Kulzer operates as a long-term partner with its laboratory customers, offering comprehensive service and support to ensure its customers are always fully operational. Qualified experts are available for support before, during and after the procurement process.

The cara Print workflow is said to be easy to learn not only for specialized technicians with CAD experience, but for newcomers to this technology. Users will benefit from full support and training programs geared to their specific experience level and needs.

Read more: What Trump, China and cheap crowns mean for U.S. dental laboratories

Applications / indications

Perfectly tailored for use with cara Print 4.0, the dima Print brand offers light-curing monomers for printing splints/night guards, individualized impression trays, surgical drilling guides, and casts (CAD to Cast). Additional materials are expected to be available in the future for the production of temporary and permanent prosthetic restorations as well as denture prototypes and dental models.

For more information about Kulzer and the cara digital workflow, visit kulzerus.com.