Does Aging Affect PolyJet™ 3D-Printed Teeth for Endodontics? A Micro-CT Evaluation

Authors:
Open Access
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the aging effect (6 and 12 months), relative to baseline (0 months), on the dimensional accuracy, morphological stability, and shaping behavior of PolyJet™ 3D-printed teeth (3DPT) produced in two printing orientations (X and Y axes). Specimens (XA0, XA6, XA12, YA0, YA6, YA12) were analyzed using microcomputed tomography before and after root canal preparation with the ProTaper Gold® system. Preoperative analysis included canal volume, centroid, total tooth volume, and total tooth area. Aging-related changes were observed, with significant differences between XA0 and XA12 (p < 0.05), whereas no differences were detected among Y-axis groups (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that X-axis specimens are not comparable over time, while Y-axis specimens maintain baseline consistency. Postoperative evaluation revealed significant differences across aging conditions for most endodontic preparation parameters. Within the limitations of this study, aging had a limited effect on dimensional accuracy but influenced the shaping behavior of 3DPT. Based on these findings, future studies using PolyJet™ 3DPT should report the printing batch and the storage time between fabrication and experimental use, as these factors may influence the comparability and reliability of the results.
Funding Information
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (10.54499/UID/04044/2025)
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (10.54499/LA/P/0112/2020)

This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit: