What Is Formlabs Dental?

Formlabs Dental is the dental-focused division of Formlabs, the most successful desktop 3D printer company in the world. Their dental product line includes dedicated 3D printers (Form 4B and Form 4BL), biocompatible/FDA-cleared dental resins, print preparation software (PreForm), post-processing equipment (Form Wash and Form Cure), and fleet management tools (Dashboard) for labs running multiple printers.

Formlabs uses stereolithography (SLA) and their newer Low Force Display (LFD) print technology to produce dental appliances with the accuracy and surface finish required for clinical use. The Form 4B represents their latest generation -- dramatically faster, more reliable, and higher throughput than the previous Form 3B+ that established Formlabs' dental reputation.

The company has raised over $400 million in funding and has become the standard recommendation for dental offices entering 3D printing. Their approach -- validated materials, guided software, and comprehensive support -- reduces the "will this actually work?" anxiety that keeps many practices from adopting 3D printing.

Key Features

Form 4B Printer

The current flagship dental printer. Uses Low Force Display technology for print speeds up to up to 5x faster according to Formlabs than the Form 3B+. Fits up to 11 dental models per build platform -- 3x more than typical dental printers. Independent testing shows a a vendor-reported 99% print success rate. Built-in resin sensing and automated dispensing.

Form 4BL (Large Format)

For labs with higher volume needs. Larger build platform for more parts per print cycle. Same LFD technology as the Form 4B with greater throughput.

Validated Dental Materials

The differentiator. Formlabs offers a curated library of dental-specific resins, many FDA-cleared or CE-marked:

Surgical Guide Resin -- for implant surgical guides
Dental LT Clear Resin -- for clear orthodontic retainers and splints
Dental LT Comfort Resin -- for long-term biocompatible appliances
Precision Model Resin -- for accurate dental models
Fast Model Resin -- for quick turnaround study models
Digital Denture resins -- base and tooth resins for denture fabrication
Temporary CB Resin -- for temporary crowns and bridges
Castable Wax Resin -- for investment casting patterns
Custom Tray Resin -- for impression trays
Premium Teeth Resin -- for realistic denture teeth

PreForm Software

Free print preparation software that auto-orients parts, generates supports, and estimates print time. Dental-specific profiles optimize settings for each material. Intuitive enough for staff without 3D printing experience.

Post-Processing Equipment

Form Wash (automated resin washing) and Form Cure (UV post-curing) complete the workflow. Dental-specific wash and cure settings for each material. The system guides users through the correct protocol.

Dashboard & Fleet Management

Cloud-based fleet management for labs running multiple printers. Monitor print status, queue jobs, track material usage, and manage printer maintenance remotely. Form Auto accessory enables automated part removal for continuous printing.

Dental Service Plan

Hardware service plan covering maintenance, repairs, and support. Peace of mind for a $6,000+ investment.

Pros

Most complete dental 3D printing ecosystem -- printer, materials, software, and post-processing
a vendor-reported 99% print success rate reduces waste and frustration
up to 5x faster according to Formlabs print speeds with Form 4B versus previous generation
Validated, FDA-cleared materials for clinical applications
Intuitive PreForm software makes 3D printing accessible to non-experts
Strong support and community with extensive documentation and dental resources

Cons

Closed material ecosystem -- Formlabs resins only (no third-party resins on Form 4B)
Material costs add up -- $149-$399 per cartridge is ongoing expense
Post-processing required -- every print needs washing and curing (time and equipment)
$8,000-$9,000 total starter investment is significant for a small practice
Print speed, while improved, still takes hours per batch compared to milling's minutes
Resins have shelf life -- materials can expire if volume is low

What We Like and What We Don't

What Works

Most complete dental 3D printing ecosystem with printer, materials, software, and post-processing
99% print success rate reduces waste and frustration
5x faster print speeds with Form 4B generation
Validated FDA-cleared materials for clinical dental applications

What Doesn't

Closed material ecosystem -- Formlabs resins only
Material costs of $149-$399 per cartridge are ongoing
Post-processing required for every print adds time
$8,000-$9,000 total starter investment is significant

Who This Is For (and Who Should Look Elsewhere)

Formlabs Dental Is a Strong Fit If You...

Most complete dental 3D printing ecosystem with printer, materials, software, and post-processing
99% print success rate reduces waste and frustration
5x faster print speeds with Form 4B generation
Validated FDA-cleared materials for clinical dental applications

You Should Look Elsewhere If You...

Closed material ecosystem -- Formlabs resins only
Material costs of $149-$399 per cartridge are ongoing
Post-processing required for every print adds time
$8,000-$9,000 total starter investment is significant

How It Compares

Formlabs Dental vs. Top AlternativesSee full comparisons →

	Formlabs Dental	Pearl	DentalMonitoring
TMR Score	8.4	9.0	9.0
Architecture	Hybrid	Cloud-based	cloud-native
Starting Price	License	Per location	Custom
Best For	Dental practices and labs ready to bring 3D printing in-house. Formlabs offers the most complete desktop ecosystem -- printer, validated materials, software, and post-processing -- making it the default recommendation for dental 3D printing newcomers and established digital workflows alike.	Any practice that wants AI-assisted radiograph analysis to catch missed pathology and improve case acceptance. Especially valuable for DSOs standardizing clinical quality across locations.	Orthodontic practices and DSOs looking to reduce in-office visits by 45% while maintaining clinical control through AI-powered remote monitoring of aligner and braces treatments across all brands.

The Bottom Line

Formlabs Dental is the market leader in making 3D printing accessible and reliable for dental practices and labs. Their Form 4B printer ($6,299) represents the sweet spot between affordability and clinical quality that has made Formlabs the default recommendation when dentists ask "which 3D printer should I buy?" With a validated material library covering surgical guides, models, dentures, night guards, custom trays, temporaries, and castable patterns, Formlabs has built the most complete desktop 3D printing ecosystem for dentistry. The new Form 4B is five times faster than its predecessor and hits a a vendor-reported 99% print success rate. For practices ready to bring 3D printing in-house, Formlabs is where you start.

Our recommendation: If Formlabs Dental matches your practice profile, put it on your shortlist. Visit their site and make your decision based on the numbers and the fit.

This review is based on independent research. Read our methodology. Something look off? Let us know.

Formlabs Dental Review (2026)