Pro vs Dental: A Comparison of Two CHITUBOX Slicing Software

As additive manufacturing technology matures, 3D printing has permeated various industries, with outstanding new hardware and software emerging continuously. With the proliferation and deepening of 3D printing in dental applications, user demand for specialized software has grown. The CHITUBOX series offers CHITUBOX Basic (free for general printing) and the feature-rich Pro version. In July 2024, we launched CHITUBOX Dental—the professional dental slicing software. Previously, we compared Basic and Dental (click to view). Now, how do Pro and Dental differ in positioning and functionality? This article details their distinctions.

Product Positioning

The Pro version was developed to meet the demands of figurine printing users for higher printing accuracy and model processing capabilities. Due to the high complexity of models, the requirements for software functionality are also elevated. The Pro 2.0 version, launched in October 2024, represents a significant improvement over the previous version. In addition to a more modern interface and superior core algorithms, it introduced a series of new features, making the experience for advanced resin printing users smoother and more efficient.

Unlike the rich functional modules of CHITUBOX Pro, CHITUBOX Dental features a highly streamlined interface and functionality, considering the dental industry's characteristics of fewer printing categories, high volume, and standardized shapes. Additionally, as the dental 3D printing industry is still in its early stages, dental professionals have traditionally relied on manual production methods for dentures and related products and are relatively unfamiliar with computer operations. Therefore, the functionality should not be overly complex. CHITUBOX Dental focuses on practicality and simplicity, developing an automated processing workflow that allows users to complete model processing with "one click." This aims to provide dental professionals with an extremely simple operational experience and reduce the learning curve for dental users.

UI Interface

The CHITUBOX Pro interface includes many detailed functions. The top of the interface is divided into four functional areas: Prepare, Support, Repair, and Measure.

● The Prepare module includes basic functions such as auto-orientation, auto-layout, Boolean operations, cutting, hollowing, drilling, and scaling etc.

● The Supports function, in version 2.0, has become a standalone module alongside Prepare. Specific settings remain on the right side, while the left side introduces a highlight of version 2.0—Magic Support.

● The Repair and Analyze/Measure modules assist users in achieving more precise figurine printing.

For figurine printing users, these functions make it easier to handle models with complex shapes.

In contrast, CHITUBOX Dental features a much simpler overall interface. This version streamlines and optimizes functions and settings based on industry habits. The center of the top interface includes the Auto Processing button, while other functions are concentrated on the left side of the interface, including: move, rotation, layout, hollowing, filling, drilling, support, cut, add bridge generators, and tags. The right side of the interface displays the current model files and printing parameters, allowing users to easily identify which case they are working on. The concise interface and functional setup of CHITUBOX Dental enable even beginners to quickly get started.

Features

Software Configuration

The new CHITUBOX Pro 2.0 links to the Resin Profiles Library, allowing users to directly use tested parameters provided by material manufacturers, reducing printing failures and operational costs. CHITUBOX is continuously expanding its list of partnered material brands to offer users a richer profiles library.

Although CHITUBOX Dental does not yet connect to a material library, the software includes built-in printing parameters for commonly used dental printers. Users can start printing immediately based on official material parameters without complex testing. Additionally, to produce results better suited for dental products, the Dental software includes a step for selecting dental applications during printer setup, supporting over ten common dental printing categories such as orthodontic models, working models, surgical guides, and temporary crowns. Each application has corresponding algorithms to optimize model preparation. These configurations allow dental professionals to achieve ideal printing results effortlessly, without spending excessive time on adjustments.

Model Preparation

CHITUBOX Pro primarily handles figurine models, offering a wide range of functions to help users flexibly process various complex figurines. Since many dental users still employ the Pro version for dental models, we will compare how both software options handle dental models.

One-Click Processing

Pro 2.0 introduces ChituAction, a one-click processing feature. Similar to Dental’s Auto Processing, users can complete nearly all model preparation steps with one click and customize the workflow. However, ChituAction is designed for figurine models and lacks dental-specific algorithms. For dental models, the orientation function cannot accurately position models, requiring manual adjustments. Additionally, since figurine models vary widely in shape, there is no standardized processing method, so ChituAction does not include the drilling feature. Users preparing dental models (e.g., orthodontic models) must manually drill holes.

Dental’s Auto Processing applies different default steps based on dental applications. For orthodontic models, the steps are: orientation, hollowing, drilling, and layout. For surgical guides, the steps are: orientation, supports, and layout. Users can also modify the steps and settings according to their preferences

Auto Orientation

Pro’s auto orientation minimizes the total slice area, but this approach is not ideal for dental models, requiring manual adjustments. Dental employs multiple orientation algorithms tailored to different dental models, producing the most suitable placement based on geometric features. For example:

● Orthodontic models are placed base-down to reduce printing time and avoid supports affecting tooth/gingival accuracy.

● Surgical guides are oriented with intaglio surfaces facing away from the build plate, and holes are positioned perpendicular to the plate to prevent supports from interfering with adaptation between guides and analogs.

Auto Layout

The auto-layout functions in Pro and Dental are nearly identical, but Pro uses the model’s bounding box for detection, while Dental uses the actual occupied area, enabling nested layouts. For full-arch models, Dental’s layout is more compact and efficient.

Support Feature

Pro 2.0’s Magic Supports allow users to generate multiple support types with one click. Figurine users often combine different support sizes for complex models. Magic Supports enables multi-step support generation and saves custom settings for reuse, significantly reducing setup time and improving success rates.

Dental models typically do not require complex supports. Most dental items (except full-arch models) are small and lightweight, needing only light or medium supports to avoid compromising accuracy or increasing post-processing time. Dental’s support function is simpler, with parameters hidden in settings for a cleaner interface. Additionally, for models with round holes (e.g., surgical guides), Dental automatically avoids adding supports in holes to prevent interference.

Hollowing & Filling

Pro offers three hollowing modes (internal, external, bottom-through) and three fill patterns (scaffold, hive, grid), with customizable precision and density. Dental removes "external hollowing", adds a solid fill mode (for reconstructing wall thickness and internal structure), and introduces "Fixed height filling" to save resin while ensuring platform adhesion. Dental version’s filling also includes two unique features:

● Through Holes: Balance internal/external pressure and aid resin flow. Users can adjust the hole size/spacing.

● Dome Structures: Automatically generated in overhang areas (e.g., molar occlusal surfaces) while filling, avoiding internal support and improving success rates.

Drilling

Pro’s drilling includes detailed parameters (pin shape, length, size, angle) for aesthetic and varied figurine models. Dental simplifies drilling settings (diameter only) and adds batch drilling. Users can set the number of holes per model for one-click drilling. Dental also allows semi-holes (height = 0mm) for orthodontic models to prevent vacuum effects during printing.

Other Features

Pro: Other features like scaling, mirroring, splitting, and Boolean operations provide a wealth of processing tools for figurine. Dental: According to dental needs, it still provides features like tagging (for identification), bridge generators (to reduce warping/breakage), and cut (for model height adjustment).

Conclusion

CHITUBOX Pro and CHITUBOX Dental are two standalone paid resin slicers tailored to different user groups and needs, each with distinct interfaces and features.

Pro caters to figurine printing, offering extensive features for complex models. However, its complexity may hinder dental professionals seeking rapid production.

Dental streamlines workflows for dentistry, minimizing operational and learning costs. Its application-specific algorithms enable efficient, stable printing, allowing labs to accelerate production and dentists to focus on treatment planning.