Pumpkin Tooth Replacement Project

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Every year millions of pumpkins around the world suffer tooth loss due to physical trauma, decay and improper 'carving'. The Pumpkin Tooth Replacement Project aims to provide low-cost 3D-printed replacement teeth to address this global issue. The purpose of this Thing is to serve as a prompt for simulating a global health initiative. Studying and modeling global change can be challenging within the time frame of a school year or with limited classroom resources. Identifying causes, designing solutions, and implementing an action plan on a real-world health problem would be very difficult. The Pumpkin Tooth Replacement Project prompt provides a concrete scenario that allows students to collect authentic data, design working solutions, and implement their plans. For more information about this classroom project idea, visit http://designmaketeach.com/2013/10/21/pumpkin-tooth-replacement-project/. Pumpkin Moustache: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:172729 If you have comments or suggestions, please leave them in the comments or contact me on Twitter @designmaketeach or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DesignMakeTeach. Instructions: A chicklet-style pumpkin tooth implant was created using Tinkercad from a basic cube and roof shape. The design matches traditional square-shaped pumpkin teeth. The tooth can be scaled to fit the size of the pumpkin patient and 3D printed for a customized, low-cost replacement. The 3D-printed tooth should prove durable enough to last the entire life span of the pumpkin. However, the current design is not optimized, and it's hoped that the 3D Printer community will develop better alternatives that can be implemented globally quickly. **Warning: Be cautious not to expose 3D printed parts to open flames. LED-style lights are recommended as a light source.