Physicomechanical properties of modern Russian materials used for 3D printing of surgical guides: an uncontrolled laboratory study

BACKGROUND: The relevance of this study is supported by the integration of modern technologies into dental practice, including the use of surgical guides. Unfortunately, in recent years, foreign materials have often been either unavailable for purchase or prohibitively expensive. The use of materials produced in Russia ensures consistent availability, faster delivery, and competitive pricing. This study evaluates the physicomechanical properties of Russian-made materials used for fabricating surgical guides and determines how these properties change after sterilization by autoclaving.

AIM: This work aimed to assess the physicomechanical properties of Russian 3D printing materials intended for surgical guide fabrication before and after autoclave sterilization.

METHODS: Three types of domestically produced photopolymer resins were tested. Hardness, flexural modulus, and fracture toughness were evaluated before and after sterilization.

RESULTS: Flexural testing demonstrated that all three groups of Russian materials are suitable for use as finished surgical guides in accordance with the requirements of GOST R 71413-2024 Dentistry. Base Polymers. Part 2: Polymeric Orthodontic Base Materials. General Technical Requirements and Test Methods, which specifies a minimum flexural strength of 50 MPa and a minimum elastic modulus of 1500 MPa for the fabrication of bases intended for prolonged intraoral use. All tested material groups met these requirements, except the group 1 (“wet”) samples. However, because a surgical guide does not stay in the oral cavity for long and does not have sufficient time to absorb moisture, and because the mechanical load on a navigation guide is substantially lower, group 1 materials may also be recommended for guide fabrication.

Autoclaved samples from groups 1 and 2 demonstrated high fracture toughness values. In turn, group 3 samples remained stable, which may indicate a homogeneous internal structure of the material.

CONCLUSION: Material strength increased after autoclave sterilization. All tested material groups are suitable for fabrication of surgical guides, with group 3 demonstrating the most stable physicomechanical properties.