Surface roughness and microhardness of 3D printed denture base resins when printed with different printers

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the influence of using different printers on surface roughness and hardness of different 3D printed dentures. Methods: Three denture base resins (ASIGA, NextDent, and FormLabs) were printed with one of two printers: ASIGA or NextDent. Surface roughness was measured with a non-contact profilometer, while a surface hardness tester was used to measure Vicker’s hardness values. One-way and Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and t-test were used to compare means with a significance level set at 0.05. Results: FormLabs and NextDent specimens showed different hardness values when different printers were used (p < 0.001), while ASIGA specimens had no difference (p = 0.072). Roughness values were similar with NextDent specimens printed with different printers (p = 0.053), while ASIGA and FormLabs specimens’ roughness values were significantly influenced by the printer used (p < 0.001). When printed with ASIGA, ASIGA and NextDent specimens had similar hardness values, which were higher than FormLabs specimens. When NextDent printer was used, ASIGA specimens showed superior hardness values compared to NextDent and FormLabs. When comparing surface roughness of different resin specimens printed with the same printer, differences were observed among all specimens (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The type and brand of the printer used can affect surface properties of printed dentures. When the same printer was used, surface roughness and hardness were significantly different among all resin materials. The choice of resin material and printer combination affects both surface roughness and microhardness. Clinical Significance: The choice of resin material and printer type may significantly impact the microhardness and surface roughness of 3D printed dentures. Careful material and printer selection is essential to ensure optimal clinical performance and longevity of prostheses.