Selective laser melting (SLM) is an additive manufacturing method based on powder bed fusion that has gained prominence in prosthodontics for its capability to create intricate, patient-specific metal restorations with precision and consistency. SLM has become an important part of digital dental workflows, allowing for the direct creation of dental frameworks from computer-aided design (CAD), offering advantages over traditional casting and subtractive milling techniques. This review outlines the fundamentals of SLM, the dental alloys commonly employed, and the microstructural characteristics that affect mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. It explores current uses in removable partial denture frameworks, fixed dental prostheses, metal–ceramic restorations, implant-supported prosthetics, and maxillofacial rehabilitation. Alloys based on cobalt–chromium and titanium produced through SLM exhibit strong mechanical properties, fatigue resistance, and biological compatibility when suitable post-processing is conducted. Despite these advantages, issues such as surface roughness, porosity, anisotropy, powder handling, and high costs remain, and there is a lack of extensive long-term clinical data. Ongoing process refinement and clinical validation are crucial for the wider integration of SLM into standard prosthodontic practice.
Abdullah et al. (Fri,) studied this question.