Question:
While the dentist makes the dental impressions for new dental crowns for the front teeth, it’s actually the lab technician who makes the crowns. Is it the skills of the dental lab tech that in the end results in beautiful, well fitting, dental crowns for front teeth?
– Gloria in Connecticut
Dear Gloria:
It’s a combination of the skills of the dentist and the lab tech. From the patient’s point of view, you want to select an excellent, artistic dentist. The dentist selects the lab tech and tells the lab tech exactly what to create – specifies the shape, size, shade, and material. All expert cosmetic dentists will be very demanding of their laboratory technicians. Plus, most dental labs have more than one laboratory technician. I’ve heard some consumers say that they’re looking for veneers made by DaVinci Laboratories. Well, DaVinci is a big lab with many technicians. Some of their technicians are fabulous, and some are mediocre. The really good cosmetic dentists will command the best technicians, and they create a team that creates a new smile for a patient. And whether the crowns fit well or not again is a combination of the skills of the dentist and the laboratory. The dentist makes the preparation, making it smooth and making it clear, in the impression, where the margins are. Usually, if a crown doesn’t fit well, it’s the dentist’s fault. The lab makes the crown, but the dentist decides whether the crown is good enough or not and either puts it in the patient or sends it back to the lab if it isn’t right.I hope this is helpful.
– Dr. Hall
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.
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