Clinical Efficacy Evaluation Of A Novel 3D-Printed Zirconia Crown

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of zirconia single crowns fabricated by Nano Particle Jetting (NPJ), a novel 3D printing technology. A total of 43 participants with 48 posterior teeth (healthy or endodontically treated) were included. Randomization was conducted strictly, assigning 24 teeth to each group (NPJ-printed or CAD/CAM-milled). The FDI criteria, serving as the primary outcome, revealed no significant differences between these two groups across aesthetic, functional, and biological parameters (p>0.05). The NPJ-printed crowns exhibited excellent marginal adaptation, functional performance, and biocompatibility, with a clinical success rate of 95.8%, compared to 91.6% in the CAD/CAM group. One fracture was recorded in each group (the NPJ-printed crown: on the occlusal surface, the CAD/CAM-milled crown: on the distal margin). For the secondary outcomes, no significant differences were found between NPJ-printed and CAD/CAM-milled crowns in most outcome measures of PES/WES and periodontal parameters (p>0.05). However, NPJ-printed crowns had a higher PES at baseline (p=0.02), and CAD/CAM-milled crowns showed a statistically significant increase in plaque index during follow-up (p=0.04). Patients in both groups reported remarkably improved oral health-related quality of life (p<0.01) and stable high-level satisfaction (p>0.05). This study demonstrates that NPJ-printed zirconia crowns are clinically comparable to CAD/CAM-milled crowns, suggesting that NPJ printing could be a viable alternative for dental crown fabrications.