Kohima: Dental professionals in Nagaland hit a new milestone this month. They fabricated the state's first 3D-printed monolithic dentures at the Naga Hospital Authority Kohima. The breakthrough happened during a July 4 workshop hosted by the hospital and the Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research.
Dr. Thungbeni P. Ngullie handled the procedure for five patients. She mapped out the full digital workflow, from initial scanning to the final print. The team used a PolyJet printer to produce these units. "A monolithic complete denture is a full denture printed as a single unit rather than being assembled from multiple components," Dr. Ngullie explained.
This tech cuts the workload. It shrinks the process from 15 manual steps down to roughly seven. It also saves time. The machine can turn out 32 sets in 14 hours. Beyond speed, the dentures are stronger and offer better aesthetics. Digital records stay on file forever. If a patient loses a set, doctors just reprint them without starting from scratch.
State officials want this tech to go statewide. Commissioner and Secretary Anoop Khinchi stated that the government plans to push these digital tools beyond specialized centers. He wants community clinics and district hospitals using them soon. Experts believe this change will lower errors and speed up delivery for dental patients across the region.
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