If you want to get restorative implants to complete your smile, chances are good you'd be happy with something that works out a bit better than the last tooth you had in there. This is where 3D printing comes in. Here are some of the benefits to using this new tech for your next implant.

Resists Bacteria  

There are new techniques out there that allow dentist's to use 3D printing to create antimicrobial polymers in the shape of dental implants. This new technique was created by researchers from the Netherlands. It works by using a combination of ammonium salts and the usual resins that dentists use to create implants.

By combining these elements together, you get special antimicrobial resins. They work by using positively-charged particles and put holes in any microbes that settle onto the implant. This causes the microbe to die, making it much harder for them to propagate in your mouth. Once the composite polymer is made, it's then placed into a mold bit by bit and made hard using lasers.

The implants can apparently kill 99 percent of microbes that land on them, greatly reducing the risk for those who have these implants in their mouth. Researchers say that the implants should be available within the next few years.

Get It Done in One Day

The issue with dental implants is often that they can take several visits to get the mold made. Then, you have to wait for weeks before the implant will be sent to your office, and you need another procedure to implant it.

But, thanks to 3D-printing tech, this is now down to as fast as a single hour. Dentists can use 3D scanning tech to get a model of your tooth, and then they can print it out for you one layer at a time with a 3D printer. This can happen while you wait. The 3D printer sprays the resin one layer at a time, moving back and forth, until the whole thing is finished. This way if you want to restore your teeth fast, you don't have to wait.

While the actual anti-microbial implants will only be available in the not-too-distant future, other 3D printed implants are available now and you can find a dentist who will have you in and out in a single day. It pays to look out for the anti-microbial implants, however, since -- when they're available -- you'll be able to get that procedure done just as quickly.

Yet, this procedure is fairly new and may not have reached the dental practices in your area. Whether or not 3D printing is available, If you need any dental work done, go to websites of local dentists to find out which practice is best for you.