SprintRay gets FDA clearance to 3D print porcelain dental crowns
Los Angeles-based company enters restorative dentistry market with in-office crown printing capability
Dental 3D printing company SprintRay has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to print porcelain crowns — a regulatory milestone that opens up what its chief executive has described as a market roughly ten times the size of its existing nightguard business.
SprintRay estimates approximately 40 million crowns are produced in the United States each year, with production handled almost entirely by specialized dental laboratories. The conventional process can take weeks, as patient measurements are sent to external labs for production.
“Now, our machine can print out a crown in the dentist’s office in 10 or 20 minutes,” stated Amir Mansouri, Chief Executive Officer of SprintRay. “Not only does it save dental practices time, but it cuts down on return patient visits for crown installation.”
Technical and material barriers
Until the FDA clearance, the 3D printing of porcelain crowns faced two unresolved technical blockers. Mansouri said the first was developing a porcelain material compatible with 3D printing hardware, and that the second involved applying artificial intelligence to generate the highly individualized geometry each crown requires. Both issues, he said, have now been addressed.
Porcelain is widely regarded as the preferred material for front-facing teeth due to its lifelike appearance, making it central to cosmetic dentistry. Ceramic crowns have served rear teeth such as molars, but do not offer the aesthetic properties required for visible restorations.
Market strategy and affordability
SprintRay, which posted approximately $142 million in revenue last year, plans to make the porcelain crown printing technology available to dental offices later in 2026. Mansouri said the company is also considering subscription pricing models to make the $15,000 upfront equipment cost more accessible to practices serving middle- and lower-income communities.
“This is reimbursable from most insurance plans, but that’s a lot of work,” Mansouri said. “Better to make it more affordable up front.”
The company earlier this year entered a partnership with Align Technology, the maker of Invisalign, as part of a broader effort to expand adoption across the dental sector.
