The SLA Technology and Economical Development In Romanian Dentistry

Stereolithography is an additive manufacturing technology, which uses ultraviolet light for photopolimerisation the layers to construct the 3D parts. The SLA printers present an UV laser and a mirrors system which permits the photopolimerisation of the photopolymer resin, layer by layer, after a 3D CAD model. Stereolithography technology is used in the next domains: aerospatial, automotive, tooling, dentistry, jewellery, architecture, etc. The manufacturing precision of the SLA technology is approximate +/- 0.02 mm. in Romanian additive manufacturing domain, concerning the sales, after the FDM printers sales, on the second place ranks are the SLA printers. In Romanian medical domain, the SLA technology is used to realize different crowns and bridge models, surgical guides, ortho applications or implant models. The resins for dentistry domain used in SLA technology are nontoxic and can realize surfaces with great accuracy tolerances, having a precision of 20 microns. The photopolymers used in SLA technology arc very various and present good mechanical properties. The pieces realized by SLA technology must to supported a post treatment in the UV furnace, using a temperature between 190-220 degrees C, for 30 minutes to obtain an increase of hardness. The photopolymers used in medicine can be on the basis of the water or alcohol. Concerning the sales of the SLA printers in Romania, can remarked an increase in the last ten years, especially in stomatology domain, for the 3D printers for Digital Dentistry.