Dental Resin
also Dental SG, Dental LT
Dental Resin is a UV/405 nm photocurable (meth)acrylate thermoset used in SLA/DLP/LCD 3D printing of dental models, surgical guides, splints, temporary and permanent restorations and denture components; most application grades are (meth)acrylate/UDMA networks with 0–50 % silanised silica or glass filler.
Dental Resin grades and fills
Dental Resin is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 8 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flexible gingival mask / soft-tissue resin | Pick for removable gingiva masks on implant models and soft-tissue simulation where elastic, tear-resistant behaviour is needed. | 7 | 130 | 22 Shore D | |
burnout resin for lost-wax casting / pressing | Pick for crown copings, partial frameworks and press patterns that must burn out cleanly with near-zero ash. | 23 | 26 | 6 | 72 Shore D |
pink denture base resin (ISO 20795-1 type) | Pick for printed full/partial denture bases requiring ISO 20795-1 flexural performance and bonding to printed or prefabricated teeth. | 45 | 52 | 5 | 85 Shore D |
Long-term clear splint/retainer resin | Pick for occlusal splints, night guards and retainers needing >30 day intraoral use, clarity and fracture resistance. | 48 | 12 | 82 Shore D | |
High-accuracy dental model / die resin | Pick for working models, dies and orthodontic thermoforming models where edge sharpness and stiffness matter more than toughness. | 52 | 58 | 4 | 87 Shore D |
Surgical guide resin, autoclavable | Pick for implant drill guides that must be steam-sterilised at 121–134 °C and stay dimensionally stable. | 62 | 6 | ||
Temporary crown & bridge resin | Pick for provisional crowns, bridges and inlays worn up to ~30 days, needing tooth-shade aesthetics and wear resistance. | 62 | 3.5 | 88 Shore D | |
ceramic-filled permanent crown/inlay resin | Pick for definitive single-unit crowns, inlays/onlays and veneers where 30–50 % ceramic filler gives high flexural strength and wear resistance. | 70 | 2 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Dental Resin is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
Biocompatible | CE Class I/IIa, patient-contact certified | Certification |
Medical Grade | ISO 10993 / USP Class VI tested, controlled manufacture | Certification |
StandardDefault | General dental photopolymer, printed and post-cured | Standard supply |
What is Dental Resin?
Dental Resin is a UV/405 nm photocurable (meth)acrylate thermoset used in SLA/DLP/LCD 3D printing of dental models, surgical guides, splints, temporary and permanent restorations and denture components; most application grades are (meth)acrylate/UDMA networks with 0–50 % silanised silica or glass filler. It is chosen for high dimensional accuracy, fast chairside/lab turnaround and ISO 10993 / USP Class VI biocompatibility certification, with autoclavable and Class IIa long-term-contact variants available. Limits are modest toughness and creep resistance versus milled PMMA/ceramic, water uptake and slow hydrolytic/UV ageing (yellowing), sensitivity of final properties to post-cure schedule, and complete lack of re-meltability or weldability (thermoset). Dental Resin has a density of 1.16 g/cm³ (0.0419 lb/in³), lighter than 55% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 78°C (172 °F). Dental Resin has a yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 6% and the elastic modulus is 2.2 GPa (0.319 Msi).
What is Dental Resin used for?
- Dental crowns and bridges
- Surgical guides
- Dental models and dies
- Splints and night guards
- Temporary restorations
- Denture bases and gingiva masks
- Castable patterns for casting
- Orthodontic aligner models
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 80/100, better than 89% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Limited formability — 5/100, worse than 95% of polymer grades
- Difficult to weld — 5/100, worse than 89% of polymer grades
- Low fracture toughness — 1.1 MPa·√m (1 ksi·√in), worse than 82% of polymer grades
- Absorbs moisture — dry before molding — 0.9%, worse than 81% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 70°C (158 °F), worse than 77% of polymer grades
Dental Resin properties
Typical room-temperature values in the Standard condition; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
Dental Resin has a density of 1.16 g/cm³ (0.0419 lb/in³), lighter than 55% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 78°C (172 °F).
Mechanical16
Dental Resin has a yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 6% and the elastic modulus is 2.2 GPa (0.319 Msi).
Thermal10
Dental Resin is rated for continuous service to 70°C (158 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 100 µm/m·K (55.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical6
Dental Resin is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 15 kV/mm (381 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹³ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 65% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Dental Resin takes about 110 MJ of energy and emits 5.5 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability6
Dental Resin's machinability is good (60/100, better than 51% of polymer grades); weldability not recommended (5/100); formability not recommended (5/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. Dental Resin is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Dental Resin
Is Dental Resin easy to machine?
Trim supports and adjust with carbide/tungsten dental burs at low speed and light pressure; the cured thermoset chips and loads abrasives, so use dust extraction and avoid heat build-up that discolours the part.
Can Dental Resin be welded?
Not weldable — a thermoset; repair or join only with the same photopolymer plus flash cure, or with dental adhesive/PMMA cold-cure resin.
Can Dental Resin be formed, bent or molded?
Formed only during printing: control layer height 25–100 µm, orient to reduce cross-section per layer, wash 3–10 min in IPA (or TPM) and post-cure under 385/405 nm at 60–80 °C exactly per the datasheet — under-cure ruins biocompatibility and strength, over-cure embrittles and shrinks.
Manufacturability
The process limits FabDigit's quote engine applies to Dental Resin. Design inside these and the part quotes instantly; outside them it routes to an engineer.
Injection molding
| Mold shrinkage | — |
|---|---|
| Wall thickness | — – — |
| Recommended draft | — |
| Pre-drying | — |
3D printing
| Technologies | SLA |
|---|---|
| Layer height | 50 – 300 µmdefault 100 µm |
| Minimum wall / feature | 1 / 0.5 mm |
| Build envelope | 300 × 300 × 380 mm |
| Supports | Yes |
| Anisotropy | Moderate |
Dental Resin chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) oligomerprimary crosslinking oligomer | 20 – 60 | 40 |
| Bis-EMA / ethoxylated Bis-GMAaromatic dimethacrylate, raises modulus/Tg | 0 – 30 | 15 |
| reactive diluent monomers (TEGDMA, HEMA,viscosity control | 10 – 40 | 22 |
| silanised silica / barium glass filler0 % in clear splint/guide grades, 30–50 % in crown grades | 0 – 50 | 20 |
| photoinitiator (TPO / BAPO / camphorquin405 nm / 385 nm sensitised | 0.3 – 3 | 1.2 |
| pigments, opacifiers, stabilisers, UV blshade matching and cure-depth control | 0.1 – 3 | 1 |
What surface finishes work on Dental Resin?
Sand 400→1500 grit wet, then pumice and dental high-gloss paste on a rag wheel; glaze or light-cure varnish improves stain resistance, and non-clear parts can be shaded with light-cure stains.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on polymer parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Coating
Injection Molding Coating
Metallization / Functional
Coloring
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Dental Resin in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Trade names
- Dental SGDental LTBiocompatible Resin
How much does Dental Resin cost?
Dental Resin is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 99% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Dental Resin — frequently asked
What is Dental Resin used for?
Dental Resin is typically used for dental crowns and bridges, surgical guides, dental models and dies, splints and night guards, temporary restorations and denture bases and gingiva masks. In short: biocompatible dental SLA resin.
What is the yield strength of Dental Resin?
Dental Resin has a typical yield strength of 48 MPa (6.96 ksi) and a tensile strength of 55 MPa (7.98 ksi) — weaker than 53% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is Dental Resin easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (60/100, better than 51% of polymer grades). Trim supports and adjust with carbide/tungsten dental burs at low speed and light pressure; the cured thermoset chips and loads abrasives, so use dust extraction and avoid heat build-up that discolours the part.
Can Dental Resin be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (5/100). Not weldable — a thermoset; repair or join only with the same photopolymer plus flash cure, or with dental adhesive/PMMA cold-cure resin.
What surface finishes work on Dental Resin?
Sand 400→1500 grit wet, then pumice and dental high-gloss paste on a rag wheel; glaze or light-cure varnish improves stain resistance, and non-clear parts can be shaded with light-cure stains.
Can Dental Resin be formed, bent or molded?
Formed only during printing: control layer height 25–100 µm, orient to reduce cross-section per layer, wash 3–10 min in IPA (or TPM) and post-cure under 385/405 nm at 60–80 °C exactly per the datasheet — under-cure ruins biocompatibility and strength, over-cure embrittles and shrinks.
What is the maximum service temperature of Dental Resin?
Dental Resin is rated for continuous use to about 70°C (158 °F), and briefly to 134°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Dental Resin cost?
Dental Resin is a high-cost polymer ($$$$), pricier than about 99% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Can FabDigit make parts in Dental Resin?
Yes — Dental Resin is available for injection molding and 3D printing with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ISO 10993-1 Biological evaluation of medical devices — ISO (2018)
- ISO 4049 Dentistry — Polymer-based restorative materials — ISO (2019)
- ISO 20795-1 Dentistry — Base polymers, Part 1: Denture base polymers — ISO (2013)
- Dental material datasheets (Surgical Guide, Dental LT Clear, Denture Base/Teeth, Permanent Crown) — Formlabs (2024)
- NextDent 3D printing resin technical data sheets — 3D Systems / NextDent (2024)
- FREEPRINT / SHERAprint dental resin datasheets — DETAX / SHERA (2023)
- Craig's Restorative Dental Materials — Elsevier (2019)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.