What is a Dental Technician?
By Regency Dental Group
A dental technologist (dental laboratory technician) is a member of the dental team who, upon prescription from a dental clinician, constructs custom-made restorative and dental appliances.
There are four major disciplines within dental technology. These are fixed prosthesis including crowns, bridges and implants; removable prosthesis, including dentures and removable partial dentures; maxillofacial prosthesis, including ocular prosthesis and craniofacial prosthesis; and orthodontics and auxiliaries, including orthodontic appliances and mouthguards.
The dentist communicates with the dental technologist with prescriptions, drawings, and measurements taken from the patient. The most important aspect of this is a dental impression into which the technologist flows a gypsum dental stone to create a replica of the patient's anatomy known as a dental cast. A technologist can then use this cast for the construction of custom appliances.
Read more, here.
This article is general information, not dental or medical advice, and does not replace an examination. If you have a dental concern, call (707) 453-1776. For a medical emergency, call 911.
