[Development of structural material for the manufacture of facial prosthesis by 3D printing].

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: Was to develop and evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of a structural material for the manufacture of facial epithesis using photopolymer printing technology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study of the physical and mechanical properties of the developed structural material consisted of measuring the Shore hardness; determination of material strength at break, conditional yield strength, relative elongation at break and modulus of elasticity; the study of the characteristics described above, after artificial aging, simulating the daily use of a prosthesis. RESULTS: According to the test results, the samples of the studied material did not have a yield strength, they were torn at a deformation of 40-60%. The values of the conditional yield strength were 0.41+/-0.01 MPa, regardless of the time of the aging procedure. The values of the modulus of elasticity were 2.96+/-0.19 MPa and 2.88+/-0.14 MPa for the samples that underwent the aging procedure at 6 and 12 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results obtained were compared with the results of similar studies of structural materials used in 3D printing technology of facial prostheses, which allowed us to recommend the developed material for clinical use after evaluating its toxicological and biological characteristics.