Current development status of additive manufacturing technologies for fabricating removable partial denture frameworks: a literature review.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to review the current development status of additive manufacturing (AM) technology for fabricating frameworks for removable partial dentures (RPDs) considering fit accuracy, surface condition, and mechanical strength. METHODS: A search of the databases of MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct was conducted using definite keywords ("removable partial denture" or "framework" or "dental prosthesis design") and ("additive manufacturing technology" or "rapid prototyping" or "3D-printing"). RESULT: A total of 23 articles were selected according to certain inclusion criteria. The direct AM techniques were applied to manufacture metal RPD frameworks consisting of selective laser melting (SLM), selective laser sintering (SLS), and metal binder jetting (MBJ). The SLM technique showed a good surface and mechanical strength, but low accuracy. The SLS technique showed higher accuracy than indirect AM, but further studies are required. The MBJ technique showed lower accuracy and a rougher surface than the conventional method. CONCLUSION: AM techniques can produce RPD frameworks within the acceptable range for clinical practice; however, more clinical studies are needed.