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 Dental
laboratory technicians fill prescriptions from dentists for crowns,
bridges, dentures, and other dental prosthetics. First, dentists send a
specification of the item to be manufactured, along with an impression
or mold of the patient's mouth or teeth. With new technology, a
technician may receive a digital impression rather than a physical mold.
Then dental laboratory technicians, also called dental technicians,
create a model of the patient's mouth by pouring plaster into the
impression and allowing it to set. They place the model on an apparatus
that mimics the bite and movement of the patient's jaw. The model serves
as the basis of the prosthetic device. Technicians examine the model,
noting the size and shape of the adjacent teeth, as well as gaps within
the gumline. Based upon these observations and the dentist's
specifications, technicians
build and shape a wax tooth or teeth model, using small hand instruments
called wax spatulas and wax carvers. The wax model is used to cast the
metal framework for the prosthetic device.
After
the wax tooth has been formed, dental technicians pour the cast and form
the metal and, using small hand-held tools, prepare the surface to allow
the metal and porcelain to bond. They then apply porcelain in layers, to
arrive at the precise shape and color of a tooth. Technicians place the
tooth in a porcelain furnace to bake
the porcelain onto the metal framework, and then adjust the shape and
color, with subsequent grinding and addition of porcelain to achieve a
sealed finish. The final product is a nearly exact replica of the lost
tooth or teeth.
In some laboratories,
technicians perform all stages of the work, whereas in other labs, each
technician does only a few. Dental laboratory technicians can specialize
in 1 of 5 areas: orthodontic appliances, crowns and bridges, complete
dentures, partial dentures, or ceramics. Job titles can reflect
specialization in these areas. For example, technicians who make
porcelain and acrylic restorations are called dental ceramists.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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