Effect of Build Angle on the Flexural Properties of a 3D-Printable Resin
Keywords:
3D printing; flexural strength; dental materials; computer-aided design; temporary dental restoration.Abstract
Introduction: Build angle is a manufacturing parameter that may influence the mechanical performance of 3D-printable resins for temporary restorations, and the available evidence is inconsistent.
Objective: To compare the flexural strength and modulus of a 3D-printable resin manufactured at seven different build angles, using ISO 10477:2020 as a reference.
Methods: In vitro experimental study. Thirty-five specimens (25 × 2 × 2 mm) of LuDent C&B TRY IN resin were fabricated on an LCD/MSLA printer, with five specimens per angle (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°), all in a single print run. After post-processing and 24 hours in water at 37 °C, three-point flexural tests were performed (span 20 mm; 1 mm/min). The modulus was obtained by linear regression over the elastic range of the load-deflection curve (20–50% of the maximum load). Fisher’s and Welch’s ANOVA were applied with post hoc comparisons (α = 0.05).
Results: The mean flexural strength ranged from 51.18 MPa (15°) to 94.94 MPa (75°), with differences between groups (Fisher p = 0.019; Welch p < 0.001) and a single significant comparison: 75° versus 15° (Bonferroni p = 0.006; Games-Howell p = 0.011). The flexural modulus ranged from 1.22 GPa (15°) to 1.89 GPa (75°); in the presence of marked heteroscedasticity (Levene p < 0.001), Welch’s ANOVA detected differences (p = 0.022), again localized between 75° and 15° (p = 0.010). The angles of 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 75° met the 50 MPa criterion in the first series.
Conclusions: Under the evaluated conditions, and within a single impression run, the 75° angle outperformed the 15° angle in both flexural properties.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Elizabeth Astorga-Bustamante , Nicolás Améstica-Fuenzalida , Mauricio Toro-González , Francisco Reyes-Molina , Alain Manuel Chaple Gil

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