COVID-19 Safe Clinical Dentistry: Applications of 3D Printing Technologies

ABSTRACT

Dental profession is at a very critical conjecture owing to novel coronavirus sickness, COVID-19. Dentistry is a profession where healthcare professionals are extremely susceptible of being infected as well as retain a high susceptibility to cross infect and transmit the contagious viral sickness among general public attending dental clinics. The grounded reality for an average dental practitioner is that walking back to operative clinical work in dentistry post-pandemic is quite tedious. Most of the safeguards and practices recommended in the current COVID-19 pandemic phase need significant alterations in the ways to practice clinical dentistry in terms of prevention and transmission of cross infection. 3D printing or additive manufacturing is the most upcoming surge of technology in the field of health care. Many novel research-driven and technology-based interventions from 3D printing technologies must be exploited and adapted to find ways and means to fight out the outburst of the pandemic. Many such 3D printed mass produced and cost-effective tools, equipments, and barrier materials instilled in clinical dental practice shall prevent or minimize COVID-19 cross contamination and transmission by ensuring safe clinical practices. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.