EVALUATION OF FABRICATION ACCURACY AND PASSIVITY OF SELECTIVE LASER MELTING VERSUS CONVENTIONAL METAL BAR ON MANDIBULAR IMPLANT OVERDENTURE AN IN-VITRO STUDY

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the fabrication accuracy and passivity of conventionally constructed bars and selective laser melting (SLM) bars by Digital Subtractive Technique using Medit-Compare and one screw test.Material and Methods: The study involved the fabrication of cobalt chromium bars for an in-vitro edentulous mandibular model with two implants. Two groups of bars were made using different techniques: Group A bars were produced via the lost wax technique by milling a castable resin, and Group B bars were fabricated using selective laser melting (SLM). The mandibular model construction involved scanning a stone model, creating digital template and 3d printed. The fabrication accuracy of the bars was evaluated using scanning and superimposition using medit compare software while one-screw test was used to evaluate passivity.Results: The findings showed a non-significant difference in the accuracy of the bar attachment fabricated using the conventional method compared to those produced with SLM. Regarding passive fit, the SLM technique demonstrated a higher percentage of prostheses achieving passivity compared to the conventional method. However, this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, SLM-fabricated bar attachments exhibited an overall accuracy similar to that of conventional casted Bars. Regarding passive fit, the SLM technique demonstrated a higher percentage of prostheses achieving passivity compared to the conventional method. However, this difference was not statistically significant.