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3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) has unveiled an ambitious technology roadmap to deliver the most extensive range of solutions for the growing digital dentistry market. The company’s portfolio now includes a wide array of offerings for the alignment, protection, repair, and replacement of teeth, marking it as the provider with the broadest selection in the additive manufacturing sector.
Major Contract for Clear Aligner Manufacturing
In a significant move, 3D Systems has secured a multi-year purchase agreement estimated to be worth nearly a quarter-billion dollars through 2028. This contract supports the indirect manufacturing process for clear aligners, reinforcing the company’s pivotal role as a key supplier of 3D printing technology to the clear aligner industry. Currently, 3D Systems’ technology facilitates the production of approximately one million patient-specific clear aligners daily in this rapidly expanding market. This new orthodontics contract is expected to lay a robust foundation for further expansion in the dental sector, including the development of innovative technology for the direct printing of clear aligner products.
Leadership in Digital Dentistry
3D Systems has established itself as a frontrunner in digital dentistry through its optimized workflow, which enhances speed, productivity, efficiency, and precision while also improving the patient experience. At the core of this success is the company's proprietary Figure 4® technology, along with the NextDent® 5100 and NextDent materials. This platform supports a broad and ever-growing range of dental applications for professionals such as lab managers, dental technicians, clinical prosthodontists, and orthodontists. The current capabilities of this solution include the production of trays, models, surgical guides, dentures, orthodontic splints, retainers, crowns, and bridges.
Expansion into New Applications
Building on the success of its NextDent technologies, 3D Systems is now venturing into new oral applications like night guards. Night guards address the needs of patients who grind their teeth at night—a condition affecting millions globally—and are increasingly used to treat sleep apnea and related disorders. The company anticipates that night guards will become a significant part of its dental technology portfolio in the coming years.
Innovative Multi-Material Dentures
Earlier this year, 3D Systems introduced a groundbreaking solution for multi-material, jetted, one-piece dentures, showcasing the latest application of its additive manufacturing dental technologies. This unique denture solution offers a durable, long-lasting, and aesthetically pleasing prosthetic, made possible through custom materials designed for both teeth and gums. The solution has already attracted interest from leading dental laboratories, including Glidewell, the world’s largest producer of restorative dental devices. The company expects to receive FDA clearance for this solution in the second half of 2024, with rapid commercialization to follow.
