International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences (ISSN 2226-9614)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
VOLUME 29(23) (2026)
Printing Orientation and Post-Curing Time effect on Fracture Resistance and Marginal accuracy of 3D-Printed Interim Fixed Dental Prostheses: A Narrative Review
Wesam Hassan, Ingy Nouh, Kamal Ebeid, Ahmad Aboelfadl
Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract
Interim fixed dental prostheses (IFDPs) are essential for protecting prepared abutments and maintaining function during the provisional phase. Additive manufacturing, especially vat-photopolymerization, has become a viable alternative to milled PMMA for IFDPs fabrication. However, 3D-printed resins exhibit anisotropic mechanical behavior, and their fracture resistance and marginal accuracy are strongly influenced by printing parameters. This narrative review synthesizes current literature on how printing orientation and post-curing time (PCT) affect the performance of 3D-printed interim fixed dental prostheses, and summarizes the types of printers and resin materials used. Evidence indicates that a 90° build orientation yields the lowest fracture resistance, whereas a 45° angle optimizes the balance between mechanical strength and marginal adaptation. Fracture resistance increases with PCT up to 90–120 min, but marginal accuracy declines beyond 30–40 min due to polymerization shrinkage. SLA, DLP, and LCD are the main dental printing technologies, using urethane methacrylate or acrylic ester resins. Optimizing orientation and PCT allows clinicians to improve clinical outcomes of 3D-printed IFDPs. Further in-vivo validation and material standardization are needed.
Keywords: 3D printing; interim fixed dental prostheses; printing orientation; post-curing; fracture resistance; marginal accuracy.
Full length article *Corresponding Author, e-mail: wesam.hassan@dent.asu.edu.eg; Doi # https://doi.org/10.62877/24-IJCBS-26-29-23-24
Submitted: 09-06-2026; Accepted: 06-07-2026; Published: 07-07-2026