3-D carving (rather than printing), for teeth

The 3-D printing revolution gets most of the attention, but 3-D carving has already added a very real bite to modern healthcare. Dentists (and engineers) are leading the way.

A considerable number of people are strolling the streets, smiling, chewing the fat, and eating lunch — sporting dental crowns made through a process of 3-D scanning and then 3-D milling. The video above shows one dentist proudly showing off his tooth-milling machine.

Why milling (carving slowly, in a process that is literally grinding), rather than printing? Because teeth need to be hard, if they are to survive years of chomping….

So begins another Improbable Innovation nugget, which appears in its entirety on BetaBoston.