Glossary

Direct metal laser sintering, or DMLS, is an additive manufacturing process whereby a 200 Watt Ytterbium (Yb) fiber-optic laser moves across a bed of powdered metal melting or welding the metal in very thin layers (about 200um) according to the build protocol. After each solidified layer, a recoater blade evenly distributes new powder across the build platform until the entire build file (STL File) is complete. The process has high resolution and good surface detail. The use of DMLS in dentistry has allowed for the creation of strong and durable bridges, crowns, partial dentures, and dental prosthetics. Such devices are often made of cobalt chrome and can be custom-made for the patient by following a model of the patient’s dentition and oral anatomy. Direct metal laser sintering has been found to produce dental prosthetics with both long-term strength and durability. A potential disadvantage to DMLS is the high cost that is associated with the manufacture of the prosthetics.

A direction indicator is a device inserted into an osteotomy in order to assess its orientation or position relative to the adjacent teeth and anatomical structures. A direction indicator can also be used to verify and assist in achieving parallelism in the preparation of multiple osteotomies or to verify the depth for straight implants. In some cases, a direction indicator may be placed in the site of an osteotomy to slow or stop bleeding. Osteotomies are a procedure in which bone is reshaped or cut and is often done in preparation for or in conjunction with implant placement. To ensure the right depth and angulation is achieved for implant placement, a direction indicator is used to guide the drilling process. Use of a direction indicator during an implant procedure helps to prevent errors which could lead to the loss of primary stability in the bone.