DENTALGOODNEWS × Wang Lin｜Twenty Years of Removable Dentures, He Has Reshaped the Entire Track

Foreword

The price of removable dentures has remained almost unchanged for nearly two decades.

It's not due to a lack of demand—it's because few along the entire value chain are willing to make changes, and even fewer have the capability to do so. The casting process has been used for decades, titanium alloy is treated as a formidable challenge in manufacturing, clinics and dental labs operate on thin profit margins, and patients lack better product options. Thus, materials, equipment, software, and business models—every link seems to be stuck.

Dr. Wang Lin said, "We work in aerospace, dealing with titanium every day."

In 2019, at a product showcase in Nanjing, he brought a metal printer that originated from a NUAA laboratory. In front of representatives from leading domestic dental labs, he printed 7 titanium alloy removable dentures in two hours and twenty-seven minutes. The room fell silent for a few seconds. Someone whispered, "This pain point has burdened us for many years."

But that wasn't the end. Over the past seven years, Dr. Wang Lin has re-engineered materials, equipment, software, and business models within the denture sector. Today, Chenglian Laser Technology Co., Ltd. produces 15,000 removable frameworks daily, has secured nearly 500 million yuan in three rounds of financing, and is selling China's own 3D-printed dentures to Europe and the United States.

At the invitation of DENTALGOODNEWS (Leading Dental Industry Media, DGN), this founder with an aerospace background sat down for a nearly 90-minute conversation. The following is the transcript:

01 The Intruder: Bringing Rocket Technology into the Denture Workshop

From 2012 to 2015, Dr. Wang Lin co-founded a startup with classmates, selling laser 3D printing equipment to the aerospace sector, and fully experienced the journey of a company from scratch to securing angel-round funding. Subsequently, he joined Beijing Longyuan Automated Forming System Co., Ltd.—one of China's earliest three 3D printing companies. "I witnessed the power of combining capital and technology, and I saw the development path of a company starting from zero."

Beyond this experience, there was an even more "demanding" order: a team led by Professor Zhou Lian, Chairman of the International Union of Materials Research Societies and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, commissioned them to build an industrial-grade titanium alloy printing device with multiple technical requirements. For a startup team at the time, this was not just an order; it was more like an "entrance exam" from the top tier of metal materials and additive manufacturing systems—could they turn titanium printing into a stable, replicable, and deliverable industrial capability?

To ensure successful delivery, Dr. Wang Lin's team conducted in-depth research on the safety and process control of titanium alloy printing. The equipment was ultimately delivered successfully. This recognition from top experts in metal materials and additive manufacturing also became a crucial endorsement for Wang Lin's team's later cross-border entry into dentistry.

"Before entering dentistry, we had already received guidance and testing on titanium materials from top experts. What seems mysterious in the dental industry is actually common in the industrial-grade field."

ChengLian Technology at the exhibition site

The real decision to step into dentistry came in 2017.

That year, the domestic market for dental metal 3D printing equipment was almost monopolized by imported brands. A small device cost 1.8 to 2 million yuan, making it unaffordable for the predominantly small and medium-sized denture factories, thus creating a market gap for an affordable domestic device. At that time, Dr. Wang Lin was conducting aerospace metal 3D printing research with the team of Professor Tian Zongjun at NUAA and happened to have a small device developed for the Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. At an exhibition, a dental expert approached him and asked directly: "Can this make dentures?"

Printing results of ChengLian Technology equipment

Dr. Wang Lin went back to discuss with Professor Tian, whose judgment was straightforward: "You can pursue this direction—for medical use, benefiting humanity, and achieving domestic substitution—it's viable."

Following this judgment, in 2018, Nanjing introduced its "Innovation City" talent policy. Dr. Wang Lin returned to Nanjing and co-founded Chamlion with his mentor's team. His doctoral dissertation topic was also adjusted to "Research on Key Technologies for Pure Titanium Denture Frameworks"—completely aligning with the company's technical roadmap.

Precisely because of this foundation, when Dr. Wang Lin's team entered the dental industry, they brought not only aerospace technology but also the ability to deconstruct "safety pain points" and implement changes down to operational details. This key later helped them unlock the market.

02 The Reconstructor: Reaching the Cloud, Grounded in Reality

When it comes to removable dentures, it might be the least desirable segment in dentistry: it involves about 10 processes, relies mainly on casting, and is the most complex and latest-to-be-digitized part of the dental chain. Often, it's even treated as a freebie—"buy fixed dentures, get removable ones for free"—with materials and processes considered untouchable.

Precisely because the chain is complex, 3D printing appears suitable: the marginal cost difference between making one piece and a hundred is minimal; and since every tooth is different, personalized customization happens to be its strongest suit. At this intersection, Dr. Wang Lin believes: "The less touched it is, the more it's worth delving into."

But what truly held things back wasn't technology, but fear of "safety." Videos of titanium powder combustion circulated on social media, and dental lab owners turned pale at the mention of titanium. Dr. Wang Lin prefers to explain this as a lack of clear boundaries: behind the industry panic lies unfamiliarity with the safety boundaries of titanium materials, not that titanium itself is inherently "dangerous."

So, Chamlion's first move wasn't to sell machines, but to eliminate the risk. During 3D printing of titanium alloy, high-temperature dust accumulated in the filter could combust during replacement. Dr. Wang Lin's team added a spray system to wet the dust before replacement. He said: "The principle is simple; clients understand immediately—printing titanium is fine, the logic holds. This solves the titanium panic."

Patent for purification device used in 3D printing by ChengLian Technology

The product showcase in April 2019 was a public validation. Dr. Wang Lin invited representatives from several leading dental labs. Starting from scratch, they printed 7 titanium alloy removable dentures in two hours and twenty-seven minutes. The feedback was direct: "This is our pain point; you've really solved it." The flywheel of equipment sales began to spin—the first unit shipped in May 2019, and by the end of 2020, sales surged to 100 units. According to Dr. Wang Lin, this was the highest annual sales volume globally for that type of metal 3D printer that year.

After achieving "industry leadership," client demands began to diverge: some wanted remote printing, some wanted installment payments, and others proposed paying only a deposit, with Chamlion placing machines in their factories and charging based on usage... What truly pushed this path into the mainstream was the pandemic. After 2020, frequent logistics disruptions meant shipments from Nanjing to Gansu, normally taking one or two days, could take up to ten days under restrictions. Clients' demand was clear: equipment must be local. Recalling that time, Dr. Wang Lin said: "Back then, we collected deposits and deployed equipment to clients—that's how the Cloud Factory Model was born."

ChengLian Technology Cloud Factory

Dental lab owners also crunched the numbers clearly: an ordinary lab might print only 30 to 50 teeth per day. Factoring in software, maintenance, and labor, removable dentures account for only about 20% of added value. Buying equipment themselves likely wouldn't be cost-effective. Thus, centralization became a more practical solution: factories collect data during the day, Chamlion prints at night, and delivers the next morning, forming a 24-hour closed loop.

Today, Chamlion collaborates with about 140 cloud factories domestically, serving over 2,000 denture factories. Daily peak printing reaches nearly 100,000 crowns and about 15,000 removable frameworks. "Now, when we tell clinicians we print 90,000 teeth a day, they are very surprised."

Image source: ChengLian Technology

With capacity scaling up, the next issue surfaced: materials and software. At the time, many dental powders used for 3D printing were still formulations carried over from the casting era—Cobalt-Chromium Alloy (Co-Cr Alloy) was heavy, thermally conductive, and had limited biocompatibility; the commonly used pure titanium TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V) was developed for aerospace, its clasps too resilient, making insertion and removal difficult.

In 2022, Chamlion acquired a materials company, conducting extensive heat treatment and material optimization. The same applied to software: traditional design software from Germany and Denmark took over half an hour to design a set of removable dentures; Chamlion developed its own DentSky, incorporating AI assistance into the workflow, reducing the time to 5-10 minutes, and accumulating over 10 million framework design cases.

DentSky software interface

Dr. Wang Lin said: "We handle the largest volume, so we should understand dental needs the best. Embedding the experience and techniques accumulated over the years into our own software—if we build on others' foundations, these things cannot be retained. For China's independent R&D in this direction, the ultimate goal is to turn our understanding of the industry into standards, not just substitution."

Thus, the three strands of materials, software, and equipment were woven together, allowing Chamlion to reconstruct a new paradigm for metal printing.

03 China's Intelligent Manufacturing of Removable Dentures Needs a Standard-Bearer

After the technical foundation was laid, owners of leading dental labs began proactively reaching out: You are the best in metal printing; you should take the lead, raise this banner, and guide the industry forward.

Dr. Wang Lin believes that processing factories are not averse to brands; what's truly lacking is a name that can be jointly recognized by the industry. Regional factories excel in delivery and relationship networks, but to build a national or even international brand, the foundation must be stronger—technological innovation, material innovation, and actually setting the rules. Chamlion has currently participated in formulating 6 national standards and has begun outputting industry norms in the field of 3D-printed denture manufacturing. The position of standard-bearer has thus been solidly established.

Chamlion's solution is brand stratification: Arcmile and Eversmile for the domestic market, Formeta for the international market, corresponding to different material processes and consumer markets. Basic needs are covered first, while those seeking better materials and processes have upward choices. Dr. Wang Lin said: "Clinics and dental labs can have more revenue growth points, and the public has more choices—this is a win-win logic."

Product image of ChengLian Technology

This logic is also supported by external signals. The VBP for dental implants compressed clinic profits and deterred some patients—those who couldn't afford or weren't suitable for implants didn't disappear; their demand for alternative solutions like removable dentures became more apparent. Last November, Beijing's medical insurance included full-arch metal removable dentures in its reimbursement scope, as the state continuously promotes coverage of basic oral healthcare.

Dr. Wang Lin's understanding is: "The state has seen this societal pain point, and the industry wind is rising." Within such a window, the materials and processes for removable dentures are precisely positioned for upward movement.

Image source: "Notice of the Beijing Municipal Medical Security Bureau on Adjusting and Standardizing Medical Service Price Items for Traditional Chinese Medicine (Moxibustion, Cupping, Massage), etc." Appendix

This judgment has also been validated in the international market.

Bego is a century-old German dental company. Its former CEO, Axel Klarmeyer, spent considerable time understanding Chamlion's model during cooperation talks. His conclusion was direct: the European and American markets are still dominated by casting, with low 3D printing penetration—the barrier exists, but so does the opportunity. By the end of the talks, Axel proactively proposed joining Chamlion, subsequently introducing dental experts from Italy and the United States, significantly accelerating Chamlion's globalization pace.

In Dr. Wang Lin's view, this "mutual attraction" itself is a footnote: "Our generation has been deeply influenced by Huawei's overseas expansion story. Combining China's manufacturing capabilities with localized operations—that is the truly solid step for Chamlion's global expansion."

Today, Chamlion's products and services cover over 50 countries, with a global cloud factory network nearing 200. From China to the world; from the cloud to the patient's mouth. In the fields of metal printing and intelligent manufacturing of removable dentures, Chamlion, together with partners worldwide, is moving towards more distant horizons.

Afterword

Dr. Wang Lin said that not everyone can get dental implants; even in first-tier cities, a significant portion of people cannot afford them or are afraid to undergo the procedure. "Enabling these people to also have a good set of dentures—this task is difficult, but it's right and worth doing."

He places the emphasis on one word: good.

Over the past seven years, Chamlion has almost consistently focused on this "good," doing the same thing—raising the technical ceiling for removable dentures: materials evolved from casting-era formulas to titanium alloys more suitable for the oral cavity; design accelerated from half an hour of manual experience to AI-assisted 5 minutes; delivery evolved from single-factory self-operation to a cloud factory ecosystem centered around Chamlion.

When technological iteration reaches its place, division of labor begins to make sense: dental labs focus on client relationships and finishing, clinics gain options they never had before, and patients wear no longer "make-do" substitutes, but dentures that have been seriously considered in terms of materials and craftsmanship. The meaning of division of labor is never about who replaces whom, but about each link doing what it does best, making the industrial chain increasingly robust.

Dr. Wang Lin spent seven years, not on grand narratives, but more like being pushed forward by demand. What he aims to do is to ensure that "a good set of dentures" truly lives up to the word "good."