Influence of Build Orientation, Geometry and Artificial Saliva Aging on the Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Poly(ε-caprolactone)

Additive manufacturing of polymers has evolved from rapid prototyping to the production of functional components/parts with applications in distinct areas, ranging from health to aeronautics. The possibility of producing complex customized geometries with less environmental impact is one of the critical factors that leveraged the exponential growth of this processing technology. Among the several processing parameters that influence the properties of the parts, the geometry (shape factor) is amid less reported. Considering the geometric complexity of the mouth, including the uniqueness of each teething, this study can contribute to a better understanding of the performance of polymeric devices used in the oral environment for preventive, restorative, and regenerative therapies. Thus, this work aims to evaluate 3D printed poly(ε-caprolactone) mechanical properties with different build orientations and geometries. Longitudinal and transversal toolpaths produced specimens with parallelepiped and tubular geometry. Moreover, as it is intended to develop devices for dentistry, the influence of artificial saliva on mechanical properties was determined. The research concluded that the best mechanical properties are obtained for parallelepiped geometry with a longitudinal impression and that aging in artificial saliva negatively influences all the mechanical properties evaluated in this study.