Rapid prototyping technology is a technology which designs three-dimensional models by the computer aided and rapidly manufactures production parts. As its advantages of the work without any additional tooling or machining, fast, flexible and highly integrated, the technology has been used in industrial manufacturing. Now it has taken a wide application in dentistry, from the previous model production, to being applied directly into the physiological functions of components. Especially the application in prosthodontics has become a hot spot. Different kinds of dental restorations can be fabricated by a variety of rapid prototyping methods and tools directly, which is opening up a new digital production field in prosthodontics. The paper describes the summary and prospect of rapid prototyping technology using in design and production aspects of the dental prosthesis, oral and maxillofacial prosthesis and functional gradient materials.
