Marginal and Internal Gap of Metal Copings Fabricated Using Three Types of Resin Patterns with Subtractive and Additive Technology: An In Vitro Comparison

This study analyzes the evidence of the marginal discrepancy and internal adaptation of copings fabricated using three types of resin patterns with subtractive (milling) and additive technology (3D printing), as it is not widely reported. Working casts (n = 15) were scanned and patterns were completed using computer-aided designing (CAD). Resin patterns were fabricated using the designed data and divided into three groups according to the method of fabrication of patterns: subtractive technology–CAD milled polymethyl methacrylate resin (Group-PMMA), additive technology [digital light processing (DLP) technique]–acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) patterns (Group-ABS), and polylactic acid (PLA) patterns (Group-PLA). Resin patterns were casted with Cobalt–Chromium (Co–Cr) alloy (lost wax technique). Internal and marginal gaps of the metal copings were analyzed with the replica technique under optical microscope. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare values among the groups, and post hoc multiple tests confirmed the specific differences within the groups. The median marginal gap was least for CAD milled resin patterns, followed by PLA printed resin patterns and ABS printed resin patterns. There were significant differences between Group-PMMA and Group-PLA and Group-ABS (p = 0.0001). There was no significant difference between Group-PLA and Group-ABS (p = 0.899). The median internal gap was least for metal copings fabricated from Group-PLA, followed by Group-ABS and Group-PMMA. The differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.638) for the internal gap. Full metal Co–Cr copings fabricated from the milled PMMA group had a better marginal fit, followed by the PLA and ABS printed groups. Copings fabricated with the PLA printed group had the best internal fit, though the values were statistically insignificant between the groups.