Dental device maker Dentsply Sirona has a lot to smile about. This week, it unveiled two separate initiatives, both intended to support its efforts to bring dentistry thoroughly into the digital age.
The first of the new developments is a collaboration with the Google Cloud platform in which Dentsply will begin hosting a range of upcoming digital dental technologies. The other will see the company begin rolling out Primeprint, its own 3D printing system for dental practices and labs.
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With Google Cloud, Dentsply will begin constructing what CEO Don Casey described as a “digital universe.” The resulting cloud-hosted platform will compile Dentsply’s digital solutions into a single location, making it easier for dental practices and labs to access the online tools.
Dentsply didn’t divulge any specific details about the new digital tools but noted that they’ll focus on improving dental care by streamlining data sharing and access, improving 3D visualization technology for dental imaging and providing a secure and easy-to-navigate data hosting system.
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Meanwhile, Dentsply will also begin the launch of Primeprint, which encompasses the hardware and software needed to provide automated, medical-grade 3D printing to the company’s customers.
It’s designed to run the entire printing process from start to finish—from taking in designs based on X-ray images to printing the implants, models and more, to conducting post-processing tasks like washing, polishing, sanding and attaching any additional components.
In a recent study of the technology’s ability to print customized occlusal devices, researchers concluded that the Primeprint system produced devices with only slight differences from the reference designs, with accuracy levels similar to those of other 3D printing systems.
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Dentsply Sirona has previously dabbled in 3D printing but outsourced the hardware requirements to another partner. In 2019, it teamed up with digital manufacturer Carbon, using the latter’s 3D printers to produce digitally designed dentures.