Dental Lab Products-2011-07-01

Calcium sulfate dihydrate-commonly known as gypsum-and the associated products used in the dental laboratory industry are considered to be non-hazardous materials. However, there are health concerns regarding the inhalation of such materials especially if silica is used as an additive to these products.

There are several different color choices for creating a treatment plan wax-up. Most lab technicians use white solid, clear or gray wax, finding this to be acceptable. It’s a standard operating procedure because the results are predictable, the material easy to work with.

The potential for new design and production technologies to reshape the dental laboratory industry is certainly real. When combined with developments in materials, new technologies can be leveraged to increase capacity, achieve efficiencies and even increase the accuracy of the restorations fabricated by American dental laboratories.

I am always amused by the fact that we call ourselves Dental Technicians, our field Dental Technology and yet in some ways many of us are reluctant to use newer technologies to improve the productivity of our dental laboratories. Perhaps an even larger problem is under using technologies.

It’s always a showstopper when there’s a demonstration of a 3D printing system taking place in the exhibit hall of a trade show. Watching digitally designed copings, frameworks, crowns or models rise up and take shape on the print platform can be almost mesmerizing. But these high-tech printers are more than just attractive novelties. With the ability to rapidly produce high-precision parts that fit a variety of production workflows quickly and cost effectively, a 3D printer can become a critical part of a dental lab’s CAD/CAM operation.

01. You established CMR Dental Lab in 1978. How and why did you add educator to your role as a laboratory owner/technician? I was doing support for Dr. Bill Dickerson for his office before he started LVI and we had lots of doctors coming through the course learning the techniques that he was teaching and yet they had no technicians to send to when they got home. Our laboratory was overbooked so we started training technicians for the dentists who were participating in the course. 

In today’s option-filled world of dental technology, some of our design decisions are made based on the time frame allowed for our cases, or should I say rushing the case through before the patient has to leave on the space shuttle. Others are made based on our comfort level with material choices, while yet others are made based on our ability to access alternative solutions such as outsourcing or processes of our cases. In all scenarios, it’s up to us to have a toolbox to draw from for esthetic options for every case situation.

The VersaMILL 5X from Dental Technology Solutions is available in its standard configuration to support manufacturing of multiple copings, crowns, bridges, inlays/onlays, abutments, dental bars and implant bridges. The VersaMILL 5X PLUS adds additional highspeed milling feedrate control, an oil-cooled 60,000 rpm spindle and implant interface library. It uses a 9-tool automatic tool changer (optional with 5X, standard with 5X PLUS) with probe and remote camera for unattended operation and monitoring.

The Lab Danilov Dental Laboratory is a full-service laboratory in Carmichael, Calif., specializing in complex crown and bridge, ceramics, removable full and partial dentures, implants, and full-cast restorations. Founded in 1979 by Jack Z. Danilov, GMDT, Danilov Dental has 10 employees and is a Massad certified lab. Danilov is a member of the Dr. Joe Massad Lecture team. The Product

While a range of new technologies are making it possible for dental labs to produce restorations with greater efficiency, not every innovation having an impact on the industry comes in the form of a system designed specifically for dental labs.

The IBEX Summit Press, along with the IBEX Summit Porcelain Furnace, provides unparalleled consistency and accuracy. Making use of an advanced electronic design and the Radiance Ring® muffle, the Summit Press precisely controls the energy applied to the entire investment ring. Providing uniform energy to the investment ring makes the most difficult material press quickly and with little to no reaction layer. This allows the technician to wax full contour with greater detail in anatomy and get sharp, accurate margins less than 0.5 mm.

At Ziemek Aesthetic Dental Lab, technology has become a big part of the workflow and an integral aspect of the business’ operations. Lab manager Jamie Stover, CDT, said evaluating new systems to see what fits with the lab is critical to the lab’s success.