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Optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting (SLM) design and manufacturing
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867613956342808576 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Wafula, Jacob Nyongesa |
| author2 | Steed, Clint |
| author_browse | Steed, Clint Wafula, Jacob Nyongesa |
| author_facet | Steed, Clint Wafula, Jacob Nyongesa |
| author_sort | Wafula, Jacob Nyongesa |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134870 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:22.712Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134870 Optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting (SLM) design and manufacturing Wafula, Jacob Nyongesa Steed, Clint Sacks, Natasha Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. Dental implants Laser sintering Titanium alloys Gaussian processes Additive manufacturing Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Wafula, J. N. 2025. Optimizing Dental Implant Performance Through Selective Laser Melting (SLM) Design and Manufacturing. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/8fb93b79-ed4f-4598-885d-3079f9a6ce20 ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Dental implant failure due to stress shielding remains a persistent challenge that continues to undermine implant longevity and patient satisfaction, as reported in several studies. This study investigates strategies for reducing implant stiffness, a key contributor to stress shielding, by evaluating different lattice structures with applying selective porosity in selective laser-melted Ti-6Al-4V samples. A comprehensive review carried out in this study confirmed the suitability of titanium alloys for dental applications, while the Axiomatic design sub-study emphasized the need to align implant properties with the dynamic and patient-specific nature of the oral environment. These studies, together with the thematic review, informed the direction of the research. To address the limitations of small, remotely collected experimental datasets common in additive manufacturing, active learning models based on neural networks and Gaussian process regression were explored as data-driven methods for selecting the most informative data points. It was observed that their comparison with the Response Surface Method (D-optimal) indicated promising potential for guiding future experimental design. Experimentally, porous lattice samples of 12 mm by 12 mm by 15 mm were fabricated using pre-optimized process parameters, with geometries including gyroid, honeycomb, stochastic, and strut-based designs, in line with ISO 13314-11 standards. For performance comparison, additional non-lattice samples were printed using varied hatch spacing to assess how process parameter adjustments influence mechanical behaviour. A dense reference sample fabricated using pre-established parameters, achieving an average density of 99.4 %, was included for experimental validation. Compressive testing was conducted to evaluate whether reduced stiffness could be achieved while maintaining adequate yield strength. Results showed that while titanium alloys remain a material of choice for dental implants, their high stiffness relative to jawbone tissue, along with inter-patient variation in bone density, can limit performance when used in solid form. Among the lattice designs, gyroid, stochastic, and strut-based structures, with stiffness values of approximately 37 GPa, 41 GPa, and 43 GPa, respectively, demonstrated effective stiffness reduction while retaining structural integrity. This work supports the development of customized dental implants that are both functional and cost-effective and lays a foundation for further research in fatigue simulation, integration of alloying solution with design approach, clinical integration, and intelligent sampling strategies. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Mislukking van tandheelkundige inplantings as gevolg van spanningskerm bly ’n volgehoue uitdaging wat steeds die lewensduur van inplantings en pasiënttevredenheid ondermyn, soos in verskeie studies gerapporteer is. Hierdie studie ondersoek strategieë om die styfheid van inplantings te verminder – ’n sleutelbydraer tot spanningskerm – deur verskillende roostervormige strukture te evalueer met die toepassing van selektiewe porositeit in selektief-lasergesmelte Ti-6Al-4V-monsters. ’n Omvattende oorsig wat in hierdie studie uitgevoer is, het die geskiktheid van titaanlegerings vir tandheelkundige toepassings bevestig, terwyl die aksiomatiese ontwerpsubstudie die noodsaaklikheid beklemtoon het om inplantingseienskappe in lyn te bring met die dinamiese en pasiëntspesifieke aard van die mondomgewing. Hierdie studies, tesame met die tematiese oorsig, het die rigting van die navorsing ingelig. Om die beperkings van klein, afgeleë versamelde eksperimentele datastelle wat algemeen in byvoegingsvervaardiging voorkom, aan te spreek, is aktiewe-leermodelle gebaseer op neurale netwerke en Gaussiese prosesregressie ondersoek as datagedrewe metodes om die mees insiggewende datapunte te kies. Daar is waargeneem dat hul vergelyking met die Responsoppervlakmetode (D-optimaal) belowende potensiaal aangedui het om toekomstige eksperimentele ontwerp te rig. Eksperimenteel is poreuse roostermonsters van 12 mm by 12 mm by 15 mm vervaardig met behulp van vooraf-geoptimaliseerde prosesparameters, met geometrieë wat gyroid-, heuningkoek-, stogastiese en staaf-gebaseerde ontwerpe insluit, in ooreenstemming met ISO 13314-11-standaarde. Vir prestasievergelyking is bykomende nie-rooster-monsters gedruk deur gebruik te maak van verskillende sweepafstande om te evalueer hoe prosesaansuiwings die meganiese gedrag beïnvloed. ’n Digverwysingsmonster wat met voorafbepaalde parameters vervaardig is en ’n gemiddelde digtheid van 99.4 % bereik het, is ingesluit vir eksperimentele validering. Druktoetse is uitgevoer om te evalueer of verminderde styfheid bereik kon word terwyl volDOEnde vloeispanning gehandhaaf word. Resultate het getoon dat, alhoewel titaanlegerings ’n voorkeurmateriaal vir tandheelkundige inplantings bly, hul hoë styfheid relatief tot kakebeenweefsel, tesame met inter-pasiëntvariasie in beendigtheid, prestasie kan beperk wanneer dit in soliede vorm gebruik word. Onder die roosterontwerpe het gyroid-, stogastiese- en staaf-gebaseerde strukture, met styfheidswaardes van onderskeidelik ongeveer 37 GPa, 41 GPa en 43 GPa, DOEltreffende styfheidsvermindering getoon terwyl strukturele integriteit behoue gebly het. Hierdie werk ondersteun die ontwikkeling van aangepaste tandheelkundige inplantings wat beide funksioneel en koste-effektief is, en lê ’n grondslag vir verdere navorsing in moegheidsimulasie, integrasie van legeringsoplossings met die ontwerpbenadering, kliniese integrasie en intelligente steekproefstrategieë. Masters 2026-01-13T10:30:09Z 2026-01-13T10:30:09Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134870 Stellenbosch University xii, 130 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Dental implants Laser sintering Titanium alloys Gaussian processes Additive manufacturing Wafula, Jacob Nyongesa Optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting (SLM) design and manufacturing |
| title | Optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting (SLM) design and manufacturing |
| title_full | Optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting (SLM) design and manufacturing |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting (SLM) design and manufacturing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting (SLM) design and manufacturing |
| title_short | Optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting (SLM) design and manufacturing |
| title_sort | optimizing dental implant performance through selective laser melting slm design and manufacturing |
| topic | Dental implants Laser sintering Titanium alloys Gaussian processes Additive manufacturing |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134870 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wafulajacobnyongesa optimizingdentalimplantperformancethroughselectivelasermeltingslmdesignandmanufacturing |