Siti Zulaikha Binti Mohd Nasir UITM Sungai Buloh
3D-Printed Multifunctional Enamel Holder: Enhancing Standardized Specimen Preparation
Siti Zulaikha Binti Mohd Nasir1, Hayati Binti Ishak1, Ikmal Hisham Bin Ismail1, Wan Farhana Binti Wan Abdul Rahman1, Hamidah Binti Idris2, Muhammad Hilmi Bin Zainal Ariffin1
1Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia, 47000, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.
2Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia, 35900, Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia.
Email: 2025252064@student.uitm.edu.my, hayati66@uitm.edu.my, ikmal_hisham@uitm.edu.my, wannurfarhana@uitm.edu.my, hamidah.idris@fsmt.upsi.edu.my, muhammadhilmi@uitm.edu.my
Abstract
Extracted teeth are frequently utilized in dental research to study microbial interactions and the demineralization-remineralization process. One of the methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention is through the assessment of surface changes. Thus, standardization of enamel specimen preparation is crucial, as it directly affects the reliability of surface hardness and roughness readings. Nonetheless, achieving flat and uniformly polished enamel surfaces remains challenging, as inconsistencies may arise from manual handling and sequential processing. Conventional methods such as individual polishing is often time-consuming, may introduce variability and increase occupational risk. While resin embedding, limits reproducibility across experimental samples. This innovation presents a 3D-printed multifunctional enamel holder designed to standardize specimen preparation by enabling simultaneous polishing of all enamel specimens with uniform abrasion. By accommodating more enamel specimens within a single platform, this innovation aims to reduce preparation time while improving consistency in surface finishing in comparison to conventional single specimen method. The proposed device features a customizable and detachable design with an ejectable mechanism. This allows safer and efficient enamel specimen removal without surface damage. Its versatility supports its use as a polishing holder, a base for surface testing, and a dimensional template for enamel specimens. Constructed via fused deposition modeling (FDM) using acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), it offers superior heat and better abrasion resistance. The integrated measurement slots also facilitate standardized specimen dimensions and uniform geometry across all samples. Overall, this innovation improves efficiency, reproducibility, and safety in enamel specimen preparation while reducing procedural time and variability, making it a practical solution for dental research applications.
