Formlabs, a worldwide designer and manufacturer of powerful and accessible 3D printing systems, has just announced it is strengthening its commitment to the dental market.
According to a Key Group survey, Formlabs is the most installed 3D printer for small, medium and large sized dental labs. To continue that success, the company is launching the new Form 3B printer and platform which will feature the next generation of dental materials, a dedicated service team, and software to help streamline workflows.
At the same time, the company is launching Formlabs Dental, its newly announced dental business unit, made up of a team of 10 dental professionals dedicated to providing the best 3D printing solutions in the industry.
Sam Wainwright, dental product manager at Formlabs, reported that the dental industry really demands the most out of 3D printing—more than any other vertical. “It’s relied upon for daily production, so it has to be highly accurate and consistent,” he explains. Wainwright has worked in the dental industry for more than 10 years and says that Formlabs began selling to the dental community in 2016.
“We really listen to the thousands of dental professionals who use our product—what they experience, their pain points, and everything else. This team is expanding, providing, and creating the best 3D printing solutions in the dental industry,” he says.
What’s “really exciting” for the orthodontic practice is that the Form 3B printer is built with a draft resin material. This will allow an orthodontic practice to print a model in about 20 minutes that can be used for a same day, thermoformed retainer.
“When patients visit the dentist, they want a fast, customized solution for their teeth,” said Max Lobovsky, CEO and co-founder of Formlabs. “Our new Form 3B printer is uniquely tailored to seamlessly digitize, streamline and expedite workflow so dentists and technicians can focus on providing patients with the outcomes they expect and deserve. We have already touched the lives of over hundreds of thousands of patients, having printed 13 million dental parts on the Form 2 and, with the launch of Form 3B, aim to expand that reach even further to ensure all dental care providers can bring an exceptional level of attention to their patients.”
This one printer allows for a growing list of more than 10+ dental applications. Users can switch seamlessly between a library of resins with a no-hassle cartridge system. Each application is validated and tested by a team of dental experts to ensure quality and accuracy, including: crown and bridge models; clear aligner and retainer models; diagnostic models; surgical guides; occlusal splints; patterns for casting and pressing; and dentures with four base and six tooth shades.
“Since launching the Form 2, 3D printing adoption within the dental industry has increased significantly,” said Jay Burton, DMD, MBA, board certified orthodontist at SmileMaker Orthodontics. “By bringing down the cost for entry, Formlabs revolutionized the dental market. Today’s announcement of the Form 3B will continue to grow the technology’s adoption and help to provide dental products you’d be proud to deliver. The incredibly accurate Form 3B produces crisp and consistent dental parts and Dental Service Plan provides the confidence to go digital.”
To support market adoption, the company has introduced the Formlabs Dental Service Plan. Backed by a dedicated team of certified dental specialists providing self-serve learning pathways and specialized trainings, the Dental Service Plan includes: personalized in-person or video training; priority email and phone support with dental specialists; and hot swapping printers for nonstop production.
“This premium level support plan will help our customers get the after-the-sale resources and support they need and expect,” says Wainright.
Formlabs Dental is also launching the Formlabs Materials Partner Platform for the Form 3B. The Formlabs Materials Partner Platform allows third party manufacturers to work together with Formlabs bringing the best and most cutting-edge materials to the market on the popular and affordable Formlabs system. Interested manufacturers that would like to make their materials available on the Form 3B can contact Formlabs.
