Inside Dentistry (ID): How has 3D printing changed the way you plan and deliver implant treatment in your practice?
Daniel Domingue, DDS: 3D printing has shifted implant dentistry from a reactive approach to a fully pre-planned, prosthetically driven, and predictable workflow. We now design the final restoration first, then plan implant placement accordingly. It has improved precision, reduced chair time, and made treatment more predictable and efficient.
ID: What components of implant therapy are most predictable to print in-office today?
Dr. Domingue: Surgical guides, immediate loaded 3D printed provisionals, printable models, and dentures are the most predictable and impactful. Surgical guides have the greatest impact because they directly translate digital planning into accurate clinical execution, reducing intraoperative decision-making and improving implant positioning. Printed provisionals allow for immediate esthetics and soft tissue shaping, particularly in anterior or full-arch cases, which significantly enhances patient experience. Printed models improve laboratory communication and verification, especially in complex or multi-unit cases, reducing remakes and chairside adjustments.
ID: For clinicians considering in-house 3D printing, what is the most important first investment — printer, software, or training?
Dr. Domingue: Training, support, and investing in the correct printer and correct company to support your in-house needs are key. Technology is only as good as the operator. Having said that, understanding material demands is far more important than owning the cheapest printer.
ID: How has digital treatment planning improved accuracy in implant placement compared to traditional workflows?
Dr. Domingue: Digital planning integrates CBCT data with intraoral scans, allowing precise, prosthetically driven placement. It reduces guesswork, improves angulation and depth control, and significantly minimizes surgical and restorative complications.
ID: In full-arch or immediate-load cases, how does digital workflow improve efficiency
or patient experience?
Dr. Domingue: Digital workflows streamline communication, reduce appointments, and allow for same-day provisionalization. Patients experience shorter surgeries, fewer visits, and more predictable esthetic outcomes.
ID: What are the biggest mistakes clinicians make when first incorporating 3D printing into implant dentistry?
Dr. Domingue: The dentist needs to fully understand the printer’s intricacies before dedicating a staff member to take over printing. Underestimating the learning curve is common. Clinicians often purchase equipment before fully understanding digital planning workflows. Investing in structured training first prevents frustration and errors. We run busy all day long, so implementation of a new product is imperative. We know the ins and outs before using in real-world scenarios.
ID: How do you balance speed and efficiency with maintaining long-term biologic and prosthetic principles?
Dr. Domingue: Digital tools enhance efficiency, but treatment principles remain unchanged. We should always prioritize proper implant positioning, soft tissue management, occlusion, and restorative design over speed.
ID: Are there specific materials or printing technologies that you believe are game changers in implant dentistry?
Dr. Domingue: High-accuracy surgical guide resins, next-generation biocompatible long-term provisionals, and improved photopolymer materials have been transformative. As printer resolution and material strength improve, indications continue to expand.
ID: Looking ahead, how do you see artificial intelligence and digital automation shaping the future of implant treatment?
Dr. Domingue: AI will increasingly assist with implant planning, wax-ups, prosthetic conversion designs, segmentation, and workflow automation. It will enhance efficiency and standardization, but practitioners’ biologic understanding will remain essential.
ID: Is there anything you would like to add?
Dr. Domingue: Digital dentistry and 3D printing are not about replacing fundamentals—they are tools that enhance precision and efficiency for optimal patient outcomes when used thoughtfully and strategically.
About Dr. Domingue
Daniel Domingue, DDS, specializes in implant dentistry and advanced dental technologies, including 3D printing. He earned his DDS from the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry in 2007 and completed three years of advanced training at Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center in New York City, serving as Chief Resident of the Dental and Oral Surgery Department. Dr. Domingue’s work in implant dentistry has earned him numerous distinctions, including a Certificate of Achievement from the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, a Fellowship from the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and the Associate Fellowship of the AAID. He was recognized as the youngest dentist worldwide to receive Diplomate status from the American Board of Oral Implantology, and later achieved Mastership and Diplomate awards from the ICOI. He serves as Founder and President of the Acadiana Southern Society and is a past president of the Acadiana District Dental Association. He is an active member of AAID, ICOI, ADA, LDA, and the American Academy of General Dentistry. He co-owns an implant referral practice in Lafayette, Louisiana, with his partner and uncle, Jerome Smith, DDS. His most notable achievement in his career was inventing the Vortex ScrewTM for direct to MUA used by clinicians worldwide while working with engineers in his implant-only dental lab, La Dental Implant Lab.
Figures and Images
Daniel Domingue, DDS
