EOS, Germany, presented its latest developments in systems and applications at the International Dental Show (IDS) in March. Applications include dental crowns and bridges, dental models and removable partial dentures. The fully integrated dental solutions allow manufacture of reproducible, high-quality dental end-products at an attractive unit cost. This is supported by an integral quality management to ensure product, process and service quality. For example, the material EOS CobaltChrome SP2 used to manufacture dental crowns and bridges is classified as a Class IIa medical material for dental applications (Directive 93/42/EEC).
Materials and processes for the dental industry are developed in the ISO-certified EOS research and development center. On request, customers are provided with extensive consulting and support during the validation process. AM of dental crowns and bridges based on direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) is a certified and registered manufacturing process now widely accepted. With nearly 100 installed systems and more than five million units manufactured worldwide each year, EOS has established itself as a market and quality leader in the dental manufacturing industry over the past years. The basic system EOSINT M 270 Dental allows the productive manufacture of up to 450 units a day at an attractive cost.
In close cooperation with laboratories and manufacturing services providers, the development of an economical production of dental models from high-quality plastic was optimized. Apart from classic fitting models, solutions for the field of orthodontics and implantology are also available. Alongside the reproducible precision, another advantage lies in the heat-resistant, sterilizable, biocompatible polymer PA2105.
Another smaller system, the EOS M 100, allows a perfect start of AM in the dental field based on the metal technology. With its smaller building volume and a circular, 100 mm diameter building platform, dental laboratories can now economically manufacture crowns and bridges from the certified material EOS CobaltChrome SP2 and in the familiar EOS quality. The system is equipped with a 200 watt fiber laser and guarantees high power stability as well as optimum and constant processing conditions to produce components of the highest quality. The smaller laser spot ensures an excellent detail resolution and permits the production of even the finest of dental structures.
Image caption — Dental prostheses production steps l.t.r.: with support structures, on dental model, removable partial denture. Courtesy of EOS.
