The modern dental lab faces many challenges when it comes to meeting day-to-day time constraints. With patients expecting ever-faster results, it can be challenging for dental professionals to meet their needs.
Growing demand for precision and fast turnround from dental labs has made increased accuracy and efficiency a major goal for dental technicians. There are a number of areas that labs might consider reviewing to meet these aims:
Staff training
Dental technicians should regularly receive training that may assist their workflows in order to continuously improve quality of work and increase productivity. A team who is highly skilled and well trained in the systems they use will be able to manage increasing demands more effectively.[i]
Efficient communication
Communication between members of the dental lab team can be the key to avoiding errors and improving workflows. This ensures all the necessary information is available to all when it’s needed.i
Adoption of advanced technology
Adopting new technology is an excellent way to optimise processes in the dental lab. Modern solutions are able to improve accuracy whilst also speeding up workflows.i
Recent innovations have drastically altered the way the dental lab works. These include 3D printing and milling machines. This technology is now more accessible, enabling technicians to improve their efficiency and reproducibility of prosthesis manufacture.
Implementing a digital workflow
A digital workflow can radically change a dental lab’s daily practices. In many cases, it can:
Intraoral scanners have risen in popularity amongst the dental community in recent years. Though considered by some to be more convenient than conventional impressions, they do present challenges. Intraoral scans may have inaccuracies caused by gaps or holes in the image, and they may not be effective for all patients or more complex treatment needs.
Research suggests that, particularly in completely edentulous patients, intraoral scanners may be inaccurate, resulting in ill-fitting and poorly retained dentures. The most significant discrepancies arise when recording compressible mucosal surfaces.[ii]
A hybrid workflow solution
Because of these disadvantages, some dental professionals have not adopted intraoral scanners for their clinical work. This means that some are still waiting to utilise the benefits of fully digital dental workflows, particularly when it comes to:
In cases where traditional impressions are more appropriate, the next generation digital scanner from Mimetrik is the ideal solution for this workflow. The Cubit360 enables everybody involved in the dental pathway to save time whilst maximising the accuracy of their digital work.
Unlike previous generations of digital scanner, the Cubit360 is portable and can be used chairside in the dental practice if needed. The Cubit360 does not require the scan object to be clamped. Instead, the dentist can take an impression and, rather than posting it to the dental lab, the impression (or denture if a copy denture is required) can be scanned immediately in the practice and the scan sent directly to the laboratory.
In the dental laboratory, the Cubit360 offers an extremely quick and efficient method of scanning both impressions and models, with a full six axes of freedom. The ability to scan without clamping the scan object means set-up time is hugely reduced and all scans, including articulated models, can be carried out in a fraction of the time taken using conventional lab scanners.
Would your dental lab like to increase their productivity? Implementing an effective digital workflow can be the step you need to take to make a difference!
[i] SOI Digital. How to optimize processes in a dental laboratory to improve productivity. Accessed Jan 25. https://soidigital.cl/en/how-to-optimize-processes-in-a-dental-laboratory-to-improve-productivity/
[ii] Srivastava G, Padhiary SK, Mohanty N, Molinero-Mourelle P, Chebib N. Accuracy of Intraoral Scanner for Recording Completely Edentulous Arches-A Systematic Review. Dent J (Basel). 2023 Oct 18;11(10):241. doi: 10.3390/dj11100241. PMID: 37886926; PMCID: PMC10605168.