What is a dental lab and why is it important to our practice?

Dental labs are instrumental to a good, progressive dental practice. They are used to manufacture or customize a variety of products such as crowns, dentures, bridges, and other important dental products. Prosthodontists prefer to have their own dental labs in order to make sure their patients receive the best fitting and highest quality products.

Dental labs have the ability to customize the product to best fit the needs of each patient. This ensures that dental procedures are safe and work well for the patient. The flexibility of owning a dental lab is that the prosthodontist can create a customized solution and procedural plans for their patients.

Dental labs, according to the ADA create the following products:

• Full dentures for patients missing all of their teeth
• Partial, removable dentures for patients who are missing one or just a few of their teeth
• Fixed bridges for patients who are missing one or a few of their teeth
• Implant crowns and implant bridges in zirconia.
• Crowns that can restore teeth to their original size and shape
• Esthetically and functionally enhancing veneers
• Splints and orthodontic appliances that straighten and protect teeth

Dental labs work with many different materials. These include waxes, plastics, precious and non-precious alloys, stainless steel, a variety of porcelains, composite or polymer glass combinations.

Dental technicians are skilled in using sophisticated equipment and instruments to create these products and perform laboratory procedures. Priority is placed on not only creating functional pieces but also attractive. The patient should be satisfied with both the look and functionality of the product used for their procedure.

Of course, when you visit a new dental professional you are likely to have questions. Choosing the right dental professional to complete your procedure is important.

Sometimes, you don’t know exactly what you should ask to get the information that you need to make a sound decision. When you are assessing a new dentist, prosthodontist, or other dental professional who owns a dental lab, here are a few helpful questions to ask:

• Have you personally been to the lab?
• How long have you used this lab and its products?
• Do you perform quality checks on their work?
• Are the manufacturer parts and hardware that they use for implantations genuine?
• Are all of their materials ADA approved?

Of course, these questions are just a starting point. Even before you begin discussing your specific concerns with a dental professional, you should make sure you feel comfortable having them perform the procedure.

Our office has recently acquired a dental lab to give our patients even better results for every procedure. As always, our patient’s satisfaction is our top priority. Having a dental lab helps us deliver better results.

If you’re interested in learning more, reach out to our office. We would be happy to schedule a consultation to discuss your situation and any concerns you may have. We can walk you through treatment plans and procedures to demonstrate to you how we can use our dental lab to create the best product-based solution for you.

Call us today to schedule an appointment.