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Splints from the 3D printer: A field report from everyday laboratory work
- 10 February 2026
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Pia Kulas
Splints from the 3D printer: A field report from everyday laboratory work
3D printing is an integral part of splint production in many dental laboratories. In addition to efficiency and material savings, one central question is increasingly coming into focus: How durable and suitable for everyday use are 3D-printed occlusal splints really?
This is the question that Jannick Bade, MDT, addressed in a specialist article in Zahntechnik Zeitung (ZT 11/2025). In his article, he reports on everyday work in the laboratory and on the production of 3D-printed splints, including his own experiment.
Durability as a critical factor
Bite splints are often worn for many months and are exposed to high masticatory loads. In addition to dimensional stability and accuracy of fit, abrasion resistance, breakage and splinter resistance as well as wearing comfort play a decisive role. In his article, Jannick Bade discusses known weaknesses of classic 3D printing resins – such as post-polymerization due to the material, which can lead to brittleness in the long term. Especially for laboratories with a high proportion of splint work, this means complaints, rework and increased organisational efforts. At the same time, he presents the solution in the article.
Practical experience with a special splint resin
He writes about a 3D printing resin developed specifically by dentona for occlusal splints: optiprint durotec. Jannick Bade shares his experiences in everyday laboratory work – from the design to the printing to the post-processing of the splint. Particular emphasis is placed on:
- the abrasion resistance under mechanical stress,
- the processability even with thin wall thicknesses,
- the smooth, transparent surface immediately after printing,
- the low post-processing effort.
Economic aspects are also addressed: 3D-printed splints enable efficient production as the printing time does not increase when several splints are produced and the material can be used in a targeted manner.
The self-experiment: wearing comfort for months
The article focuses in particular on a self-experiment. Jannick Bade wore a crunch splint made from optiprint durotec for several months. His conclusion: consistent wearing comfort, no loss of taste, no discolouration and no cracks or signs of wear even after prolonged use. Another striking feature is the slight thermoelastic adaptation to the mouth, which further increases comfort.
Conclusion from the user's perspective
In his article, Jannick Bade comes to the conclusion that specially developed splint resins such as optiprint durotec can make a decisive contribution to the suitability of 3D-printed occlusal splints for everyday use. In addition to functional advantages, he sees clear added value for dental laboratories in process reliability and the reduction of complaints.
The full article "Bite splints from the 3D printer – field report on a new splint resin" by Jannick Bade, MDT, was published in Zahntechnik Zeitung, issue 11/2025.
➡️ You can download the article as a PDF here.
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