The dental technician is an art profession. They apply science and technology in the design and manufacture of denture products to replace natural teeth.
The dentist will be responsible for choosing a treatment method, then sending specific requests about the image, color, and style of replacement teeth to the dental technician. Dental technicians are responsible for consulting suitable materials and creating dental restorations based on the dentist's description.
Dental technicians have excellent hand-eye coordination, attention to detail, the ability to perceive differences in color and shape, hand clever, and an interest in dental materials and emerging technologies. A highly skilled dental technician will help create beautiful dental restorations that improve smiles, oral health, and confidence in the patient
Dental technicians usually work in the following specialties: crown and bridges, implant, complete removable dentures, partial removable dentures
The dental technician profession requires:
+ Artisticity: Each patient has a separate tooth structure, the restoration requires technicians to create dentures that not only meet the function but also have to be natural, in harmony with the overall tooth system. A dental technician's biggest challenge is creating a restoration that looks completely natural.
+ Scientific knowledge: To create a dental restoration, a dental technician must have deep knowledge and understanding of the dental anatomical morphology, the function of each tooth area, knowledge of materials such as zirconia, Emax, PMMA, acrylics, composite resins, and metal alloys for implants, accessories... Finally, the process to make the product
+ The application of technology: technology is currently playing a key role in the field of dentistry. Modern technologies such as CAD/CAM, milling machines seem to be indispensable in dental labs recently. Cad/Cam technology has promoted the development of the profession of dental design. Technicians manipulate and design teeth based on technology and software will minimize errors when relying entirely on traditional hand manipulation.
The Dental technician is an art profession
1. Work environment
The work of dental laboratory technicians is extremely meticulous and time-consuming. Technicians often have their desks, which can be equipped with equipment such as grinding and polishing tools; wax trimming, staining; or can work with computer design software, printer, milling machines.
Experienced technicians can become teachers in dental lab technology programs, sales representatives, technical support representatives, or instructors for manufacturers or suppliers of dentistry.
2. Learning requirements
Most dental technicians, when they have a basic knowledge of dental anatomy, will usually start with simple tasks such as pouring plastic and stone models of dental prosthetic and then progress to more complex procedures such as grinding, layering porcelain, staining.
Becoming a fully trained technician requires an average of 3 to 4 years of on-the-job experience, depending on the individual's aptitude and ambition but it can take a few more years to become a skillful technician.
With technology becoming a part of a dental lab technician's job, it is helpful for the technician to take courses in computer skills and programming to apply CAD/CAM technology.
3. Basic skills of dental technician
To work in a dental lab, a dental technician needs to have the following skills:
- Pours plastic and stone models of dental prosthetics.
- Repairs and/or relines existing full and/or partial dentures.
- Arranges and clasps teeth for new wire or cast chrome partials.
- Bands wire for clasps and makes soldered rests for partial dentures.
- Fabricates base plates and wax bite rims.
- Records bite relations on dental articulators.
- Can use burrs and grinding equipment to grind, smooth, and polish dental prosthetics. Operates and maintains a variety of dental laboratory tools and equipment such as trimmers, grinders, lathes, articulators, and cleaning devices.
4. Our dental technician
The dental technician is an artful science, in addition to understanding the anatomy of teeth, technicians must also have aesthetic skills to be able to create false teeth with the shape and color are highly natural because each patient has a different tooth morphology, each tooth is a completely independent, different version.
Skilled technicians are a process of training, constantly learning. Today, Cad / Cam technology contributes a lot to the technician, but a beautiful tooth is born with a meticulous process from grinding, porcelain, staining.
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