Dreve FotoDent IBT
Dreve FotoDent® IBT for Carbon printers is now available to produce indirect bonding trays. The material is a clear, biocompatible resin and is ideal for fast production.
This guide will cover digital pre-processing of your IBT devices to properly prepare them for printing with FotoDent® IBT for Carbon printers.


Scroll to bottom of page and select Safety data sheets
Carbon strongly recommends creating devices with flat occlusal planes. This maximizes yield while minimizing printing and post-processing times.
- Flat and featureless occlusal plane
- Creates a strong tray
- Minimizes part failure due to adhesion issues
- Minimum wall thickness of 1 mm for optimal print outcomes
- Prevents breaking
- Minimize part height
- Conserves resin
- Minimizes print time
- Parts should be solid
- Avoids potential venting issues during printing that can lead to failure

If it is not possible to design a device with a flat occlusal plane, then conformal occlusal planes may be used.
Be aware that conformal occlusal plane devices have the following effects:
- Part must be printed at angle relative to platform
- Support structures are required
- 2-3x increase in print time relative to flat occlusal plane
- Post-processing time increases due to support removal
- Minimum wall thickness of 1 mm for optimal print outcomes
- Prevents breaking

Review Supports in Printer UI course for more information.
Proper orientation of indirect bonding trays is critical.
- Maximizes yield by minimizing print defects.
- Eliminates the need for supports and the accompanying labor and resin costs.
- Achieves the required accuracy and surface quality.
All indirect bonding trays should be oriented to be flat against the build platform.

Use Snap to Platform to ensure the flat base is aligned with the platform.
- Click on Orient in the main bar in the printer software.
- Select the part to be oriented.
- Under Snap to Platform click the Select Surface button.
- Click anywhere on the flat base of the tray part. The printer software will automatically rotate the part base to be parallel with the platform.

Use Snap to Platform on all parts to ensure the part base is flat against the platform. Even a small anlgle between the part and the platform may result in a failed print.
As long as the base of the part is snapped to the platform, you have freedom to rotate the part in the Z axis to suit your needs.

Indirect bonding tray parts with a flat occlusal plane do not require supports because they print directly on the platform.
- All indirect bonding trays should be oriented to be flat against the build platform.
- Any orientation is acceptable.

IBTs with conformal occlusal planes should be oriented
- 45 degree angle with anterior teeth furthest from the platform
- Intaglio surface facing the platform

Perform an initial orientation of both bases so that they are roughly parallel with the platform.
- Click on Orient in the main bar in the printer software.
- Orient each base so that the intaglio surface is facing the platform.
- Adjust the trays so that they are mostly parallel with the platform.
- We recommend typing values into the XYZ axis fields. Changing orientation with the mouse or Snap to Platform function is more challenging.
- Position the camera so you are looking straight down on the platform:
- Push the Reset camera icon in the lower left corner of the screen to return to the default view.
- Push ▲ to look straight down at platform.
- Make sure that the posterior region of the tray is facing the lower portion of the screen.

Now perform the final orientation. Because indirect bonding trays with conformal occlusal planes are organic surfaces with no well defined flat areas, Carbon does not recommend using Snap To Platform. It is much easier to enter values directly into the Orient fields.
- Click on the part to select it.
- Enter a value of 45 degrees into the X Axis field.
- The posterior of the part should be touching the platform.

You have freedom to rotate the part in the Z axis to suit your needs.

Carbon recommends using fences to support IBT devies. They are easy to remove and do not increase the footprint of the part, enabling more parts to be fit onto the build platform.
- Click Support in the main bar in the printer software.
- Under Position, select Above Platform to create room between the platform and the part.
- Skip Auto Support Method as this mode is not recommended.
- Click Manually Add to enter the Support editing interface.

You will now see the support editing view. Support the entire perimeter of the intaglio walls.

- Click Toggle Platform button in the lower tool bar to hide the platform. This will enable better visibility during fence creation.
- Click the fence icon in the top menu bar.
- Click a series of points on the base to define the fence.
- Use Overhang Detection to find areas that need support.
- Carbon recommends making a series of small fences rather than making a single continuous fence to give greater flexibility to reposition points.
- Click ESC key and then hold down E key to reposition points.
- Click Generate to create the fence geometry. This may take a few minutes.
See Fences in Printer UI for more information about the fence workflow.
- 45 degree orientation with anterior teeth facing away from platform.
- Intaglio surface facing platform.
- Any Z axis-rotation is acceptable.

Click Print Controls or Shift + P in the top menu bar.

Slice Thickness should be Standard (100 µ).
Reducing the slice thickness by choosing the Fine (50 µ) or Super-fine (25 µ) settings will increase print time and may reduce part quality and accuracy.
- Select the Project Analysis tab.
- Click Start Analysis and wait for the processing to complete.
- Note the required resin volume and print time.
- Click Add to Queue.

For questions about the resin properties, printing, washing or curing your parts, please contact the Dreve technical team:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 952-358-3526