When a dentist has a patient who is in need of a crown, bridge, dentures or other dental prosthetics, the order is sent out to a Dental Lab Technician who is responsible for the creation of the piece. It is the dentist’s responsibility to send out the necessary information to the lab. They are responsible for creating an impression or mold of the patient’s mouth or teeth. Once the dentist has gathered the necessary information, it is passed on to the dental lab technician. Once the technician has the appropriate information, they create a replica of the patient’s mouth, using plaster. Once that is set up, the technician will then place the replica on a machine that simulates the movements of the mouth, teeth and jaw.
The dental lab technician then observes the piece. They look at the size, shape and gap of the gum line in order to build the mechanism to the correct specifications. Once they can guarantee that everything meets the requirements and guidelines, they use special tools to craft a wax tooth or teeth model. The wax model then becomes the metal framework for the actual prosthetic.
Once the wax tooth has been formed, it is necessary for the metal and porcelain to bond. In order to do this the technician must pour the cast and form the metal by using the small tools to prepare the surface. The porcelain is applied in layers in order to achieve the proper shape and color of the tooth. Once the technician has acquired the correct shape and color, the porcelain is placed into a furnace in an attempt to combine both porcelain and framework. If it is necessary to adjust the shape and color after this point, it is done so with grinding. Additional porcelain is then added to achieve the final finish.
Some labs hire technicians who are capable of handling the creation of prosthetics from start to finish. The majority of labs though, hire technicians who specialize in specific areas. It is possible for a technician to specialize in one of five areas. Orthodontic appliances, crowns and bridges, complete dentures, partial dentures or ceramics. Even though the main title of people in this position is dental lab technician; specialization of specific crafts can alter the job title. As an example: a dental ceramist is a technician who specializes in porcelain and acrylic restoration.
