Got Dental Lab Questions? We’ve Got Answers!
We are very deliberate about the materials, processing, and processes used inside our laboratory. Everything we do has been established through a series of trial and error over the years until finding the best way to do things and perfecting our craft. Because we are exclusively removable, we have more practical experience in this area than other full-service labs enabling us to rise above the competition in terms of quality and craftsmanship. This experience has transcended over the years into expertise and we are happy to share it with you. Below is a list of questions that we are frequently asked. We hope these will help you.
We currently accept Trios, Medit and iTero IOS scans. You can connect with us directly through these options by selecting wiandlab@gmail.com. To send us an IOS scan outside of these options, please convert your file to an .STL and email to wiandlab@gmail.com. Click here for more info (click through to scan page).
The technical answer from Nobel Biocare is “5 times.” While the following explanation is based on the science of Nobel Biocare products, I consider the information a good baseline for all implant systems. Nobel Biocare screws have a coating called “Torque Tight” on the surface of the screw. This material lubricates the internal threads of the implant or abutment to achieve a more true torque. According to Nobel, the 2nd and 3rd torque actually achieve the most accurate torque. The 1st time a screw is torqued, the torque tight coating is just beginning to come off in the threads of the implant or abutment. By the 2nd and 3rd time, there is already some lubrication from the torque tight helping to achieve a more accurate torque. By the 5th torque, too much of the torque tight has come off the screw to be effective. The engineer from Nobel did go on to say that torqueing a screw more than 5 times will not break the screw, it just will not achieve as accurate of a torque. A screw will only break if it is over torqued, not torqued too many times.
Lab work is a direct reflection on the doctor. It can make the doctor shine or look bad in the eyes of the patient. In any full-service lab, dentures are always an afterthought. They don’t get the attention they deserve and require. We work hard every day to make doing dentures precise, predictable and profitable for our doctors on a consistent basis. We don’t skip steps and we get it right the first time. For combination cases, we are happy to work with any C&B lab of your choice.
A hard nightguard is fabricated with 100% hard acrylic. A thermoplastic nightguard has a flexible liner that enables the material to flex over the height of contour of the tooth but has a hard occlusal surface. Our feedback from our doctors is that the thermoplastic nightguard is a much more comfortable option for the patient and does not create a pulling sensation on the teeth.
For a hard night-guard follow the denture instructions above. For a thermoplastic night guard, simply use a soft toothbrush and water.
We get asked this a lot and the answer is two-fold. First, an accurate impression is a must. Taking the time upfront to take an accurate impression will save you time, money and frustration later in the treatment plan. We guarantee that our products will fit the model. But if the model is not accurate, it won’t fit the mouth. We recommend the use of a custom tray in conjunction with border molding using either PVS or rubber based material for edentulous cases or the Accu-Dent System II for partials.
Second, we must also have an accurate bite registration. An easy way to accomplish this is with intra-oral tracers. They cost about $300 but are well worth the investment. We are happy to order them for you upon request.
A rigid cast partial is always the best solution for long-term treatment. When a flexible partial is desired, the DurAcetal partial is constructed in the same manner as a cast partial. It is a flexible, tooth colored partial that is tooth supported via occlusion rests and the saddle areas are processed with regular acrylic and can be relined, repaired or added to in the same way as a regular cast partial. DuraFlex (Val Plast), however, is tissue supported and must be re-based when a reline, repair or addition is desired.
For partial dentures, we prefer the Accu-Dent System II. However, because this is an alginate impression material it must be poured up immediately and not be inverted after being poured. If alginate is not desired, then we suggest a light bodied PVS material of your choice. If PVS is chosen, we advise the use of a custom tray to keep the thickness of the impression material more consistent in order to avoid distortion of the impression.
For full dentures, we suggest the use of a custom tray in conjunction with border molding with either PVS or rubber based material. Also, we have found the Accu-Dent System I to be a good alternative to traditional border molding. But again, because Accudent is an alginate impression material it must be poured up immediately and not be inverted after being poured. We have information on both upon request.
All of our full denture and nightguard cases are transferred from the Acculiner to a semi-adjustable articulator. We prefer the Stratus 200 because it can be calibrated avoiding the need for transporting the articulator back and forth to the doctor’s office. However, we have many other types available as well.
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