Keysplint Soft
I swear – Keysplint Soft sales probably support the entire 3D printing branch of Keystone Industries (Keyprint). This resin has been around for AGES and is still the preferred nightguard/occlusal splint resin for many technicians across the globe.
I have a love-hate relationship with this material. On one hand I find it quite tricky to clean properly (it almost has a sticky runny honey-type of consistency). However, on the other hand I have tried loads of other competitors in the market, and this stuff just holds up the best over time compared to the rest. I’m gobsmacked no one has really created something equivalent or better.
Uses:
Printing of nightguards, occlusal splints
Where can you print it:
Multiple open system 3D printer brands – over 20 different systems including but not limited to Ackuretta, Asiga, Formlabs, Phrozen (Sonic series), RapidShape, RayShape, Shining 3D, UniZ, Zylo3D etc. the list goes on…
The low down:
Keysplint Soft prints consistently across a range of different popular 3D printers globally and is regarded by many as the “go-to” for printed nightguards and occlusal splints. It doesn’t print particularly fast on any system but seeing that nightguards are generally not a same-appointment application, this is no real big deal. You can polish it to a very high shine using the KeyPolish kit but if you and your patients aren’t too picky, frankly some pumice on a wheel will result in a sufficiently smooth finish.
Points to note:
3D printed splints should be signed with a minimum thickness of 2.0mm. Just keep that in mind as 2.0mm posteriorly in some patients results in quite a large degree of vertical opening anteriorly. Keysplint Soft is notorious for its artificial floral/soapy taste if it is not processed correctly. Users would definitely benefit from a dedicated wash system for this material. I also cure mine under vacuum, and I generally would recommend a final cure under some sort of inert environment, be it glycerine, vacuum or nitrogen. Like many 3D printed splint materials, Keysplint Soft exhibits a degree of thermoplasticity – by immersing the appliance in hot water for half a minute it softens the material enough to allow easy insertion onto the corresponding teeth by the user.
TLDR:
Keysplint Soft is a stable in dental labs for its consistent track record and ability to be printed on a huge range of different 3D printers. It’s comfortable, durable and polishable. What else could you ask for?