If you have ever cracked a tooth, needed a night guard, or faced a missing tooth, you know the old routine. A messy impression, a temporary fix, and a wait of one to two weeks while an outside lab builds your appliance. That delay is frustrating, and it often means a second or third trip back to the office before your treatment is finished.
In-office 3D printing changes that timeline, and at Charlotte Dental Arts, we use the PrimePrint 3D printer by Dentsply Sirona to design and produce many appliances right here, often in a single visit. PrimePrint pairs naturally with the digital workflow behind our restorative dentistry services, turning a digital scan of your mouth into a precise, custom-made device without the back-and-forth of an off-site lab.
What the PrimePrint 3D Printer Actually Does
PrimePrint is a medical-grade 3D printing system built specifically for dental offices. It takes a digital design of your teeth and jaw and builds a physical appliance layer by layer, using biocompatible resins approved for use in the mouth. The result is a custom device made to the exact dimensions of your anatomy.
The process starts with a digital scan rather than a tray of putty. That scan becomes a 3D model we can review and refine on screen, then send straight to the printer. Because the whole system is automated, from printing through washing and curing, the appliance comes out clean, consistent, and ready for use with very little handling.
Why In-Office Printing Matters for You
The biggest difference you will notice is time. When an appliance can be made in-house, you avoid the long wait for an outside lab and the extra appointments that come with it. In many cases, that means fewer trips, less time away from work, and a faster path to a finished result.
Accuracy is the other major benefit. Digital scans capture your teeth far more precisely than traditional molds, and research on dental 3D printing shows that printed models, guides, and devices can reach a level of accuracy suitable for clinical use. You can read more about how researchers measure this precision in a peer-reviewed study on the accuracy of dental 3D printers published in the Journal of Prosthodontics.
The Appliances We Can Create
PrimePrint supports a wide range of dental applications, which makes it useful across many of the treatments we offer. Each printed appliance is designed for your mouth specifically, so it fits comfortably and performs the way it should.
Some of the devices and models we can produce with this technology include the following:
- Night guards and splints to protect against grinding and ease jaw tension
- Surgical guides that help place implants with greater precision
- Working models and impression trays are used to plan and build restorations
- Temporary crowns and provisional restorations while a final piece is prepared
This range means PrimePrint often works alongside our other digital tools rather than on its own, supporting everything from a simple guard to a complex case.
How PrimePrint Fits Into Our Digital Practice
PrimePrint is one part of a fully digital approach we have built over years of practice. It works hand in hand with our CEREC technology, which mills same-day crowns from solid ceramic, giving us both printing and milling under one roof for different needs.
That combination is especially helpful for larger treatments. Whether you are exploring dental implants, considering cosmetic dentistry, or being fitted for a custom appliance through our TMJ treatment options, a digital plan keeps every step accurate and connected from start to finish.
Schedule Your Visit With Charlotte Dental Arts
The PrimePrint 3D printer is one more way we bring speed, precision, and comfort together for our patients. Dr. Edwin Porter has built a practice around modern digital dentistry, with more than 6,000 CEREC same-day restoration cases completed and recognition as a Top Dentist in Charlotte Magazine for over 20 years. As a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry and a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, he brings deep training to every case, supported by ongoing education at the Pankey Institute, Dawson Academy, and Spear Education.
We also work with out-of-network patients and offer flexible financing through CareCredit, Cherry, Proceed, and our in-house Premier Dental Savings Program, so cost stays manageable while you get the care you need. If you are ready to see how same-day, in-office technology can simplify your treatment, we invite you to schedule your consultation with our team today.
