Formlabs Launches Scan to Model Feature for PreForm Software to Ease Dental Professionals’ Entry into Digital Dentistry

Somerville, MA, Mar 18, 2021 – Formlabs, a leading 3D printing company, today announced Scan to Model, a new feature in its PreForm software, that is designed to convert intraoral scans into 3D printable models easily. Dental and orthodontic professionals can use Scan to Model as an entry point into digital workflows without having prior experience with digital dental design software. Creating diagnostic, formed appliance and fit check models is simple: users scan a patient's teeth with a 3D intraoral scanner, upload the raw model into PreForm's Scan to Model tool, and then print with a Formlabs Form 3B printer - the whole process completed in less than one hour. 

The dental industry is rapidly evolving from manual processes to digital, though for many practices, this shift can be daunting. While more than 30% of orthodontists have an intraoral 3D scanner, only 4% have 3D printing capabilities at their practice, proving the desire to adopt the technology is apparent, though cost and training are large hurdles associated with fulfilling the need. Formlabs Dental, first launched as a dedicated Business Unit in November 2019, aims to make flexible and patient-specific treatment protocols accessible to every dental professional. 

Sam Wainwright, Dental Products Manager of Formlabs, said: “Getting started in digital dentistry couldn’t be easier with the Formlabs Dental Ecosystem. The Scan to Model software feature does all the work, converting intraoral 3D scan files into printable dental models so it's simple for providers to bring digital model production in-house. This new software feature, our printers, and dental resins of the Formlabs Dental Ecosystem support dentistry’s transformation enabling both newcomers and experienced professionals to add digital workflows.”

Before Scan to Model, technicians that completed 3D scans of patients’ teeth using an intraoral scanner would have to be well-versed in complex dental CAD software, use open-source mesh editors not designed for the needs of dental professionals, or outsource this processing to a dental lab. Now, Scan to Model enables dentists to reduce:

• Effort required to turn a 3D intraoral scan into a simple printed model
• Overall turnaround time for models and retainers, enabling same-day delivery
• Number of software programs required to perform simple model preparation

"Scan to Model is more advanced than an open-source mesh editor and faster than going through a comprehensive dental design program. My staff and I started using it immediately with no issues. It's a great entry point for doctors who are interested in digital," said James E. Paschal, DMD, MS, a Formlabs Dental customer.

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About Formlabs Dental

Formlabs is expanding access to digital fabrication, so anyone can make anything. The leading 3D printing company introduced its new dental business unit in November 2019 to uniquely meet the needs of dental labs and practices of all sizes. Formlabs Dental is made up of a team of dental professionals dedicated to providing the best 3D printing solutions in the industry. Formlabs has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients, having printed 13 million dental parts on the Form 2, and expanding this impact even further with the recent additions of its dental-focused hardware devices, the Form 3B and Form 3BL. In addition to its hardware products, Formlabs has over 50 materials scientists and a robust offering of dental materials that are available to be used on the Form 3B and Form 3BL printer.

Formlabs Media Contact
Chelsea Higgins
[email protected]