About two-thirds of Americans who wear dentures are plagued with fungal infections with a variety of side affects, but an innovative new solution stands to remedy the situation. According to a recent Futurity article, researchers are treating denture-related stomatitis with 3D printed dentures loaded with antifungal medication.
A study published in Materials Today Communications showed that the medicated dentures reduce fungal growth and can actually prevent infection. The main benefit seems to be the savings on both time and money. Conventional denture manufacturing can take anywhere from a few days to a week, but the 3D printed dentures allow for clinicians to create customized dentures chair-side. Despite having 35% less flexural strength than traditional dentures, the printed teeth never fractured during the study.
