Stratasys Collaborates with Express Dental to Provide 3D-printed Dentures Supporting the Oklahoma Dental Association’s Mission of Mercy

A patient from the Oklahoma Dental Association Mission of Mercy event for people in need gets a new Stratasys TrueDent 3D printed denture. Stratasys partnered with Oklahoma-based Express Labs to provide the TrueDent denture material. | Image Credit: © Oklahoma Dental Association Mission of Mercy

Stratasys Ltd., a leading provider of polymer 3D printing solutions, announced this week its collaboration with Express Dental Labs located in Norman, Oklahoma, during the recent Oklahoma Dental Association Mission of Mercy (OkMOM) event. Together, they offered full and partial dentures to over 55 individuals in need.

OkMOM is a 2-day initiative offering essential dental care free of charge to individuals who lack access to such services. Held in Lawton, Oklahoma, the event brought together dental professionals, volunteers, and organizations to address the oral health needs of underserved populations.

Each patient receiving dentures underwent an intraoral scan on the first day. Express Dental Labs utilized these scans to craft the dentures using Stratasys’ J5 DentaJet® 3D Printer and TrueDent resin. The dentures were printed overnight and distributed by participating dentists the following day, providing patients with well-fitting, natural-looking dentures and a renewed smile within 24 hours.

Tra’ Chambers, owner of Express Dental Labs, expressed enthusiasm about the community impact, stating in a press release, “It is awesome that we can do this for the community. Traditionally, dentures are labor-intensive to manufacture, but when using Stratasys technology, we can serve many more patients in a shorter amount of time. The dentures we print are highly accurate, matching the patient’s gum and tooth color, so the dentures look great and fit well. Also, because the entire denture is printed as 1 piece and does not require any manual intervention, once the digital design is created, if the patient loses their dentures, a replacement can be created overnight with the digital record we have on file.”

This marks the second year that Express Dental Labs has employed the Stratasys TrueDent solution. Last year, nearly 40 Oklahomans in need received new dentures as part of the OkMOM event.

Ronen Lebi, vice president of dental at Stratasys, adds in the press release, “It is truly gratifying to witness the positive impact that our technology, in conjunction with the expertise of Express Dental Labs, has on the lives of those in need, restoring their confidence and enhancing quality of life with better-looking and better-fitting dentures. We anticipate continued growth in the adoption of technologies like TrueDent. It increases efficiency and reduces turnaround time for labs, while lowering the number of visits and overall chair time for patients.”

TrueDent dentures are a full-color, single continuous print of both the denture base and teeth. Stratasys technology allows for multi-colored, personalized appliances to be printed simultaneously on a single high-capacity tray.

Stratasys leads the global shift to additive manufacturing with innovative 3D printing solutions for industries such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products, and healthcare. Through smart and connected 3D printers, polymer materials, a software ecosystem, and parts on demand, Stratasys solutions deliver competitive advantages at every stage in the product value chain.

To learn more about Stratasys, visit www.stratasys.com and the Stratasys blog.

OkMOM’s 2-day, free dental clinic offers treatment to patients who are uninsured, underinsured, or who would not normally have access to dental care. Patients are screened to identify their needs and routed to the appropriate clinic area: oral surgery, extractions, restorations, and/or hygiene.

Dentists, specialists, hygienists and dental assistants, along with many other volunteers who assist with registration and hospitality, donate their time to provide much-needed care to the community at no charge. To volunteer with OkMOM, visit the Volunteers page.