When most people think of dental crowns, they don’t think of 3D printers, but for Breanna, this was all part of the process.
“My project evaluated how 3D printing materials could function as permanent dental crowns under realistic conditions found in the mouth,” said Breanna.
Her research focused on testing the strength and stain resistance of various 3D printing materials, including specialized permanent crown resins like Dentatooth and Formlabs. Using the equipment at the LSUA Technovation Center and makerspace, Breanna ran staining tests with common beverages and used a hydraulic press to measure the compression strength of each material.
Unlike traditional resins, rapid crown molding uses 3D printing technology, where a laser instantly cures the resin for faster solidification. Her findings showed that 3D-printed crowns could compete with traditional ones in durability while offering major improvements in turnaround time and cost.
Thanks to LSUA’s Technovation Center and the faculty who supported her work, Breanna now heads toward a future in dentistry with skills that are already making a difference.