Photo Courtesy: nenews
Kohima: Nagaland hit a medical milestone this weekend. Dental experts at the Naga Hospital Authority Kohima produced the state's first 3D-printed monolithic complete dentures. The work happened during a hands-on workshop attended by nearly 30 professionals.
Dr. Thungbeni P. Ngullie, a senior resident at the Nagaland Institute of Medical Science and Research, led the charge. She fitted five patients with these new prosthetics. The process replaces slow, manual methods with high-speed digital precision.
Traditional denture making requires roughly 15 steps. This new digital workflow cuts that down to six or seven. Dr. Ngullie explained why this matters for local patients. She said, "Monolithic complete denture is printed as a single unit rather than being assembled from multiple components."
The printer moves fast. It can knock out 32 complete dentures in about 14 hours. The five units produced on Saturday took just five to six hours to print. The tech also allows doctors to store digital records, meaning a patient who loses or breaks a set can get a new one without starting the whole clinical process over.
Health and Family Welfare Commissioner Anoop Khinchi attended the event to push for wider adoption. He wants to see this technology spread from specialized facilities into district hospitals and community clinics. The state government now plans to focus on training staff to ensure these digital tools become a standard part of local healthcare.
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