our most recent feature for Dental Lab Products

, we talked a lot about esthetics. As part of that article, we asked the same experts we spoke with in the story what tips they'd give to lab technicians looking to increase the esthetics of their work in a modern context.

There were several suggestions that continued to come to the surface when talking about esthetics. So, with that in mind, here are 11 things every lab technician needs to know about maintaining esthetics in a changing dental landscape: 

When seeking highly esthetic restorations, don’t be quick to dismiss CAD/CAM.

“CAD/CAM gives technicians access to a wider range of materials,”  says Tais Clausen, CTO and cofounder of 

. “CAD, in itself, did not change esthetics. CAD software is a tool-a tool that makes it easier and faster for the dental technician to create highly esthetic restorations. CAD supports esthetics by enabling better planning and flexible design options. CAD/CAM also provides design consistency.”

CAD/CAM provides such consistency that it removes some (but not all) of the human error that is present when making traditional restorations.

“The human factor is present, and the technician’s mood, health and level of focus at a given time can have an impact on the outcome of the restoration,” he adds.

CAD/CAM is a very sophisticated tool, but it is just that: a tool. To get the best, most esthetic results, technicians still need to understand dental anatomy.

“The starting point is to really understand natural tooth anatomy,” says Dr. David Hornbrook, DDS, clinical director of education at 

 in Irvine, Calif. “The problem in today’s world, in a lot of the dental labs, is they bring someone into the CAD/CAM department that doesn’t have any experience in natural tooth anatomy or the function of teeth. They’ll come in, and they’re great with a mouse, they’re great with the computer, they can pull a tooth in from libraries that can be resized to fit the space. But unless you really know tooth anatomy, it’s difficult to make these CAD/CAM teeth function as well as they should or look as natural. Make sure you understand tooth anatomy-that we’re just not filling a space, but we’re actually trying to have as much function as we can with that tooth.”

There are plenty of different materials for use in CAD/CAM solutions. Picking the right one for the right job will result in restorations with superior esthetics and performance.

“CAD/CAM may require a different family of materials as compared to analog manufacturing,” says Bob Cohen, CDT, president of 

 in Stoneham, Mass. “Selecting the right disc can make a huge difference in the esthetic result. Unfortunately, so many lab owners are focused solely on the cost of the disc rather than the esthetic results. This business decision can stifle a laboratory’s ability to grow this product. What’s most interesting is this much more esthetic disc may cost only $1 or $2 more per unit. I believe a full-contour zirconia crown that has great form and is milled from a highly esthetic material can sell for 50 percent more than the market average and will enable a lab to grow the product and not be involved in, or contribute to, ‘the race to the bottom.’”

Product roundup: Lab and case management software

Once you find a quality material, it can be worked with to give the results that you want.

“There are pre-shaded discs; there are discs that are one shade,” says Alex Thomas, general manager of 

 in Davenport, Iowa. “There are A2 shaded discs that are used only for A2 cases, and then there are shading liquid systems that you can use if you’re just using a pure white zirconia. So really find a system that works and go with trusted products, especially in the zirconia makeup.”

No one wants to spend more money than they have to on a case. However, it might be necessary to spend a little more to get the best results.

“Cheaper and faster is not always the best, which is something that we try to express to people,” says Lien Huynh, CAD/CAM specialist and lab manager at 

. “We always tell people, ‘If you want it done right, you have to take time doing it.’ It doesn’t matter if you’re doing it conventionally or with CAD/CAM. You still need that knowledge to apply to the case. Remember: There’s always a person attached to that tooth that you’re doing.

“At the Zirkonzahn Education Center, we have lots of people coming through,” she adds. “Some value quality, others just want things fast-‘How can I do this faster? How can I make more money?’”

With so many new tools, materials and techniques available to the technician, there are many new ways to bring high esthetics to lab work.

Must read: 9 digital lab trends you NEED to know

“Advancements in materials are a key factor in enabling dentists and technicians to provide highly esthetic restorations,” Clausen says. “Lower material costs are also bringing esthetic solutions to a wider range of patients. More and more dentists and labs are becoming aware of new options to combine patient data such as CBCT, 2D photographs, face scans and intraoral scans to create a ‘digital patient’ and use all of these factors in planning esthetic solutions.”

The word that no one in a dental lab wants to hear is “remake.” And while no one wants to redo a case, the fact of the matter is that CAD/CAM takes some of the sting out when that has to happen.

“I’m producing as nice of esthetics that I ever have in my career, and I’m doing it more efficiently than I’ve ever been able to, and the really cool thing is if something goes sideways, I can press ‘remill’ and do it again or modify it and remill,” says Matt Roberts, CDT, owner of 

 in Twin Falls, Idaho. “We’ve all had cases that go out, and you make it out of the BL2 shade, and the patient says, “That’s too dingy. I want my teeth whiter than that.” It’s already three shades whiter than A1 or B1. If I were to have to sit down and hand wax that again, I’d cry before I got it done. Today, I can simply press the button on the milling machine. 50 percent of the labor is still there, but at least 50 percent is started. That’s nice. I love it.”

The efficiency of digital dentistry, in part, means that to remain competitive, those labs using traditional methods have to be more efficient. As such, it is necessary to work as resourcefully as possible.

Related: How your lab can reap benefits from implementing lean manufacturing processes

“Take the initiative to operate your lab with lean manufacturing principles and workflows,” Cohen advises. “Go as lean as possible. Get an expert in to help if you can’t do this yourself. No one questions that traditional manufacturing requires much more labor. To compete long term with digital will become more difficult. As material science advances and offers better, more esthetic materials for digitally manufactured products, competing in the analog lab will require incredible efficiency.”

As with analog materials, different CAD/CAM materials have pros and cons for different applications. Make sure you understand which products are best for which applications.

“Branch out to understand the advantages and disadvantages of all the different materials,” Dr. Hornbrook says. “Materials are changing so much. Even a laboratory or a ceramist that didn’t embrace CAD/CAM is going to have to eventually. If [you] haven’t embraced CAD/CAM, really understand how at least the materials are changing. Because the materials are changing so fast, and we’re getting materials that two or three years ago, I would have said were absolutely ugly. [Now] we’re getting materials that are very esthetic. What I see in the clinician’s world, and I’ll use monolithic zirconia as an example, dentists will say, ‘It’s all opaque; it’s ugly; it’s lifeless.’ Well, that was the zirconia that we were using two and five and 10 years ago. Where we look at the materials now, where they’re actually multilayered, prior to them even being milled, we’re getting the advantages of previous generations, but now they look great.”

CAD/CAM takes some of the detailed and time-consuming parts out of lab work. However, that is not the case where traditional methods and techniques are still employed. As such, successful labs require technicians with a different skill set.

Better art for your restorations: A roundup of porcelain accessories

“[Labs] need highly trained technicians, in all honesty,” Thomas says. “It’s an art form. Your employees are your biggest investment and especially your ceramists. They need to have experience and be well trained technicians that continue to educate themselves and are pushed to provide the highest quality possible.”

Ultimately, both digital and traditional methods require the same foundations in dental knowledge.

“You use the same techniques [with digital work] that you would use doing it conventionally,” Roberts says. “In other words, good esthetics are never an accident. It’s always by following a good flowchart of getting things solved esthetically. First of all, identifying what is wrong, functionally and esthetically, with the patient and then identifying the ideal shape, form and position of dentition for the patient. Then reproducing that in the final restorative material and then delivering it without messing with that whole concept up.

Step-by-step: Custom shade-matching for an anterior implant case

“If I am doing something out of pressed ceramics,” he continues, “that means taking the impression of the temporaries and using a jewelry injector to transfer that to my final working model so that I know that I am in the same place as the temporaries, and then making modifications based on the photographs. If I’m working in the digital world, it involves scanning in a model of the temporaries and photos of the patient. I superimpose the model of the temporary into the patient’s facial features, and then I turn the temporary off and turn my restorations on so I’m seeing my teeth displayed within the patient’s lip structure and see that the size and proportions were appropriate for the patient’s smile.”

As good as CAD/CAM is for esthetics, as with any technology, it can always get better.

“[CAD/CAM technology has] come a long way, and it’s of an age that you don’t have to wait for it to get better to get in,” Roberts says. “Will it get better? Absolutely. Look at iPhones. Was the first iPhone the best that could be out there? How long do you plan on your current iPhone being relevant to leading-edge technology? How quickly will they replace it? Probably about 18 months. And that’s how I look at CAD/CAM. Anything I buy in the digital world for my lab I figure has about an 18-month shelf life of being leading-edge, another 18 months of being relevant and after that I won’t want to work with it so I better have a business plan in place to replace it.”

“I think there’s always room to improve,” Thomas adds. “Every dentist and every laboratory have shade guides. The VITA Shade Guides are the most common shade guides available in the industry. It’s the most well known and used. Anything zirconia, even e.max, you can always continue to push the bar to get to match those shade tabs exactly. You get as close as you can. Sometimes you’re spot on, but there are always improvements that can be made.”

While esthetics can mean different things to different techs, the materials, technology and techniques available today ensure labs have the best resources to deliver the best esthetics ever.

This article originally appeared in the June 2015 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles, 

Articles

 In our most recent feature for Dental Lab Products, we talked a lot about esthetics. As part of that article, we asked the same experts we spoke with in the story what tips they'd give to lab technicians looking to increase the esthetics of their work in a modern context.

11 ways to get better esthetics in your dental lab

	Beauty, artistry and esthetics cover a lot of territory. If you ask 10 different technicians what makes a case esthetically pleasing, you’re likely to get 10 different answers. To be sure, they will all include the same components, including tooth shape, color, translucence and the like, but the ratios in each technician’s particular recipe will likely differ.

But beyond ascribing which individual constituents are the most important, there are larger forces by which you can be guided.

Step-by-step technique: Custom shade matching with an anterior implant case

For many years, esthetic restorations were tough to achieve while still maintaining strength, fit or cost-effectiveness. Happily, that no longer seems to be the case, thanks to better quality materials.

“Twenty-five years ago, I would have said, ‘You can either have it look good or you can have it be strong, but you can’t have both,’” says Dr. David Hornbrook, DDS, clinical director of education at 

 in Irvine, Calif. “Now I would say, the way the materials are, whether it’s multilayer 

, there’s no reason why we can’t have restorations that are absolutely beautiful and strong. If I look at a 

, which used to be the best esthetic thing we could do, we have materials that’ll look better and are actually stronger than a PFM. When clinicians look at choosing restorative materials, there really should be no question about, ‘Can it look good and can it be strong?’”

“I feel like we finally have the materials available where we aren’t compromising fit or durability to achieve esthetics,” says Matt Roberts, CDT, owner of 

 in Twin Falls, Idaho. “Some of the new, higher strength ceramic materials have very good biocompatibility numbers, and we are seeing super high success rates now, much more than we ever did with porcelain-fused-to-metal restorations.”

While materials are certainly improved, the abilities of the techs working on the cases also matter.

“Long-lasting, well fitting esthetic restorations are certainly obtainable and readily available,” says Bob Cohen, CDT, president of 

 in Stoneham, Mass. “There is a combination of essential elements: Materials, a tech’s technical ability, technical knowledge and discipline are all key. Without these critical elements, there will likely be compromises.”

To get all the features you want out of your restorations takes the best efforts of everyone involved in the case.

“That all starts with the doctor’s office making sure to follow the prep guidelines for the products,” says Alex Thomas, general manager of 

 in Davenport, Iowa. “You can use lower strength products that are going to be more esthetic, as long as the doctor is meeting the guidelines and using the product for the appropriate indications.”

How to create highly esthetic monolitic zirconia crowns in 8 easy steps

Instructing doctors is key so they know which materials they can use and how to use them.

“As a laboratory or as a ceramist, I think one of our obligations is to educate our doctors, as well,” Dr. Hornbrook says. “Because what’ll happen is doctors will continue just to write prescriptions for the materials they’re familiar with or they’ve used in the past. We, in the dental laboratory, have the opportunity to have more experience and explore the use of different materials, and we can become great educators for a doctor.”

Looking good is important, but, ultimately, the restorations need to perform properly.

“The functionality of esthetics is really important because something can look good, but if it doesn’t function right, there’s really no point in having it,” says Lien Huynh, CAD/CAM specialist and lab manager at 

. “Esthetics, for me, is what Mother Nature has given you, and in today’s society, a lot of people want that gorgeous, shiny, Hollywood smile, but then everybody’s smile starts looking the same.”  

Ultimately, CAD/CAM is a tool, and the quality of the restoration is in the hands of whoever wields that tool.

“With correct planning and advanced software, dental technicians can easily create high esthetic restorations,” says Tais Clausen, CTO and cofounder of 

. “In most cases, high esthetics are a matter of how the technician uses the available information, such as scan data, photos, etc., and how they combine this with the options related to the materials.”

There seem to be two schools of thought on CAD/CAM. Some favor it, while others prefer to make their cases by hand, employing traditional, analog techniques.

“There’s a huge argument out there over, ‘Is CAD/CAM better? Is it worse? Do we have to do it? Is it a compromise?’ and people have very, very strong opinions,” Roberts says. “I haven’t seen the industry so polarized in many, many years. The truth of the matter is it’s in the hands of the user, not the tools being used. It still requires someone who understands tooth shape and tooth form and how they relate to facial features and how the color of the underlying dentition relates to the color of the final restoration. Through that whole process-whether you are building feldspathic porcelain on foil, refractory or PFM; waxing by hand and pressing lithium disilicate; doing CAD design with zirconia; or milling wax from a CAD design and pressing it with lithium disilicate-all of those can produce very, very high levels of esthetics in the right person’s hands, if you know what you’re doing with the materials and the equipment that you’re working with.”

Step-by-step technique: How to foresee the final esthetic outcome of a restorative case

“The only difference we’re going to see from one machine to the next is the designer,” Dr. Hornbrook adds. “In the past, where it used to be the ceramist or a waxer that would design the particular case, now it’s going to be someone that’s going to be more computer literate and is going through the design process on the computer. I could sit here and I could show you two different restorations that looked exactly the same-same translucency, same esthetics, same strength-and one could be traditionally waxed and then invested and pressed and the other could be designed on CAD/CAM and milled.”

CAD/CAM + Good Materials = Great Esthetics

It’s not news that CAD/CAM has changed the face of lab work; but, to a certain degree, it has also affected esthetics. That impact is because digital and traditional lab work utilizes different materials.

“This started with the advent of CAD/CAM, [with] 

 frameworks,” Cohen says. “Eliminating metal from restorations immediately enabled ceramists to more easily fabricate more lifelike restorations.”

While CAD/CAM is largely heralded as a positive for the dental lab industry, in some cases, CAD/CAM has had negative impacts, specifically on esthetics, Cohen observes.

“The development and acceptance of full-contour zirconia was initially a step backward in esthetics but a step forward in fit and durability,” he says. “At the time, there was a move in the industry to ‘good enough’. Honestly, I’m not sure where this started, but given a weak economy, pricing pressure and the current state of materials for digital applications, full-contour zirconia seemed just adequate esthetically and became a highly prescribed restoration. Many of these full-contour zirconia restorations fit well and will likely last as long as the remaining tooth but were a step backwards esthetically. This is due to the inherent opacity of the material, making it difficult to obtain proper value and translucency.”

That seems to have changed, and now esthetics are flourishing in the CAD/CAM world.

“More recently, the advent of a new generation of full-contour zirconia materials, like 

, has greatly increased the esthetics of full-contour zirconia restorations,” Cohen continues. “Historically, zirconia has been more opaque than natural teeth. This latest-generation zirconia matches the translucency of natural dentition, more closely resulting in much more esthetic restorations. Keep in mind, the most esthetic full-contour zirconia restoration does require a skilled technician to enhance form and color after milling.”

“CAD/CAM allowed for us to produce zirconia restorations,” Thomas adds. “

 and Empress were available, as well as some other products, but just a metal-free restoration is going to be a more esthetic product. And with the introduction of zirconia having to be done via CAD/CAM changed the game of being able to offer higher strength restorations that were still metal-free, making them more esthetic than a PFM or a full-cast crown option.”

Ultimately, patients are reaping the benefits of those materials.

“As a clinician, I can offer my patients something that looks great, fits great and is strong, and [they] have a lot of options,” Dr. Hornbrook says. “The fastest growing restoration, and probably the number one restoration, certainly here at Keating, is monolithic zirconia. It’s always been very opaque and bright white and kind of flat looking, but the improvements with that now are that we have multilayered zirconia, which is our strongest restoration. It’s more translucent and has literally no compromise-it’s unbreakable, highly esthetic and fits great.”

This article originally appeared in the June 2015 issue of Dental Lab Products. 

 Beauty, artistry and esthetics cover a lot of territory. If you ask 10 different technicians what makes a case esthetically pleasing, you’re likely to get 10 different answers. To be sure, they will all include the same components, including tooth shape, color, translucence and the like, but the ratios in each technician’s particular recipe will likely differ.

Getting Great Esthetics—No Matter What Tools You Use

	When creating a porcelain restoration, it’s not just about the restoration itself-it’s about all the often unnoticed components that come together to create the most beautiful result.

During the restoration process, you likely use everything from various compounds to brushes, glazes, gels, ceramics, stains, stones and trays. Using the best accessories ensures you’ll complete the best restorations, whether they be fillings, inlays and onlays, bridges, crowns or veneers, making both your clients and their patients happy.

We wanted to bring you a quick roundup of some of the leading porcelain accessories out there. Whether you’re a small lab, large lab or somewhere in between, here is a snapshot of some of the top porcelain accessories companies and products.

Free on-demand webinar: Understanding medical billing and its relationship with 3D


	Available in eight different sizes, these handcrafted brushes are designed to complete every porcelain task. These brushes reportedly possess the highest quality of natural Kolinsky sable hairs to create sharp brush tips, flexibility and effective moisturizing effects. Made from lightweight wood, the handles are designed to be protected from warping with five layers of protective varnish. The nickel-plated brass ferrule and triple-crimp technique are said to create a secure connection between the bristle hairs and handle. Each brush undergoes an exclusive curing treatment to ensure a long-lasting shape, as well as to increase its spring and recovery.
	
	800-729-8192 | 


	Zirlux LC porcelain is a low firing feldspathic/leucite glass ceramic designed with “true-to-nature” fluorescence and opalescence that closely resembles the appearance of natural teeth. The Zirlux LC translucent pellets are said to complement the ceramics and full-contour characterization kit when you need to coordinate and match shading to adjacent teeth. This complete ceramic system is designed to give dental ceramists the artistic control over the desired restorative outcome. Utilize these versatile materials when fabricating esthetic multi-unit cases regardless of technique.
	
	800-496-9500 | 

Related reading: Product roundup: The importance of implants


	Vision USA, an innovator in the dental porcelain market, introduced Vision Universal Glaze Paste. The product can be used with all porcelain systems, including e.max and zirconia. Glazed porcelain is said to provide a smooth and dense surface, and studies have shown it produces better color stability.
	
	800-257-5782 | 


	The Taub Insta-Glaze line of diamond polishing pastes have been formulated to produce a high polish on all-ceramic restorations, lithium disilicate, feldspathic porcelain, zirconia and composite and hybrid resins and can be used to polish chairside or in the lab. University studies have shown Insta-Glaze restores the glaze of the restoration to that of fired porcelain. Three versions of Insta-Glaze are available: Insta-Glaze for porcelain, Insta-Glze HYB for hybrid and nano resins and Insta-Glaze Zr for high polishing of zirconia. The product is available in 2 Gm syringes.
	
	800-828-2634 | 

Category Cruncher: Predictable posterior composites


	Dura-Green® DIA Stones are vitrified-bonded diamond abrasive and the diamond version of a carborundum point, designed for contouring porcelains and ceramic copings with superior results. These stones are said to provide enhanced performance with a smoother, chipless cut versus silicon carbide or diamond burs. Densely packed diamonds are embedded throughout (from the surface to the core) in a special glass binder, reportedly offering extended cutting ability. Dura-Green DIA Stones are designed to be the clean cutting solution for both technicians and dentists alike.
	
	800-827-4638 | 


	Choose from nine different, high quality mixing trays to find your individual perfect solution. Renfert’s lay:art trays range from an innovative glass tray with moistening strips to self-moistening ceramic trays to natural agate or stylish glass trays. Complement your tray with lay:art style natural hair Kolinsky brushes, which are said to provide you with premium quality for the highest demands. An innovative manufacturing technique reportedly achieves maximum values in terms of tension, dimensional stability and durability of the brush tip. The ergonomic handle design with Soft Touch is said to be optimally balanced and fits very well in the hand for ideal use and comfort.
	
	800-336-7422 | 

Category Cruncher: In-office Whitening Products


	Master Ceramist’s Super-Suspension Stain and Glaze Medium is said to completely suspend all stains and glaze powders longer for an easier, more uniform application and protection. Master Ceramist is celebrating its 25th anniversary with prices of many popular products being discounted 25 percent through Sept.25, 2015.
	
	800-737-PEGS | 

Kuraray America
	CZR FL AND CZR VC GLAZES 


	New CZR FL (including fluorescence) Glaze and CZR VC (value control) glazes by Kuraray Noritake are said to be ideal for full-contour zirconia and layered or pressed restorations and designed for a highly effective natural finish. Pearl Surface Z for polishing porcelain reportedly adds a natural luster to the surface without altering the subtleties in the texture and is suitable for polishing hard resin and denture-base acrylic resin.
	
	800-879-1676 | 


	Keystone Industries offers natural Kolinsky Brushes. These brushes have a small bead inside that is designed to help manage the humidity on the brush. The are available in sizes #000, #00, #0, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #2 flat, #4 flat and big brush.
	
	856-663-4700 | 


	IPS e.max Ceram Essence from Ivoclar Vivadent is designed to provide artists the tools necessary to deliver the highest level of lifelike restorations. This low fusing fluorapatite glass ceramic can be used to veneer and characterize both IPS e.max lithium disilicate and ZrO2 fabricated via the press and/or CAD/CAM method. Its three-in-one powder form is said to allow for mixing and internal and external characterizations, and its wide range of colors reportedly make it ideal for a variety of color corrections and characterizations.
	
	800-533-6825 | 

Related reading: Ivoclar Vivadent introduces Fluor Protector S

CELTRA® UNIVERSAL LOW FUSING STAINS AND OVERGLAZE 


	The Celtra® Universal Low Fusing Stains and Overglaze are a growing favorite for enhancing beauty in restorations around the globe. They are available as a kit that provides everything necessary to achieve better esthetics, including the popular MagicStain Brush. Celtra® stains and overglaze are compatible with a variety of substructure materials, including lithium silicate and monolithic zirconia, and a wide range of porcelains, including Ceramco®, Duceram® Kiss and Cercon® Ceram Kiss.
	
	844-848-0137 | 


	Dental Creations’ Wondergel is used during the build-up and contour phases to hold crowns, veneers and small castings in place. It is recommended for pressed porcelain veneers, PFM crowns and alumina and zirconia restorations. Reportedly like having an extra helping hand, Wondergel is water-soluble and provides no risk of contamination. It comes in a 3cc syringe.
	
	254-772-4661 | 


	Perfect Polish® Diamond Compound, manufactured by American Dental Supply, Inc., is a diamond polishing compound for use with lithium disilicate, zirconia, porcelain, hard metal alloys and filled composites. With this product, there is reportedly no need to refire and reglaze. Users can polish adjusted areas and contact points chairside with no scratches or worries, and Perfect Polish is said to create a beautiful luster on gold crowns, lithium disilicate and zirconia. It is safe for intraoral or extraoral use and can be used with a bristle brush or felt wheel.
	
	800-558-5925 | 

Related reading: How to pour professional models using Wonderfill

 When creating a porcelain restoration, it’s not just about the restoration itself-it’s about all the often unnoticed components that come together to create the most beautiful result.

The most perfect porcelain accessories for your laboratory

3D printing is an ever growing part of the dental industry.

And it’s come a long way since its beginnings-the days of single use printing technology and slow print speed are gone, replaced by a variety of utilities and speedy print times. Here are 5 of the 3D printing advances you need to know about:

This might seem obvious, but if you haven’t checked out 3D printers, you might be amazed at how far they’ve come. 

 makes them faster, more accurate and able to produce a wider variety of tasks and end products. We’re no longer in the “early adopter” phase of 3D printing-

 enough to make it a viable option for many more labs.

The List: Top 3 reasons you might be ready for a 3D printer

The materials used by 3D printers are advancing at a stunning speed. What used to be a technology that was useful for a limited number of cases has expanded to include a huge variety of possibilities. 

mean more and more lifelike models, printable temporaries and, eventually, even printable dentures that use separate colors and materials for the base and teeth. Though it’s not “printing” in the traditional sense, SLM (selective laser melting) is also

 to be “printed” in a variety of ever-increasing options.   

Once upon a time, there were really only two or three possible uses for a printer, and most of those had to do with model making. But now, thanks to increases in both printing and 

, there are more options than ever. You can “print” substructures and frames using an SLM system, making the construction of fixed restoratives or removables simple. With 3D printing, you can print models, or you can print surgical guides, wax patterns or other options in a variety of sizes and uses. 3D printing provides a good way to break into new and exciting business arenas.

With material and technology improvements come the ability to improve your workflows via 3D printing. Models are created faster, leaving you more time to actually make the restoration, and the increase of intraoral scans and digital impressions provides an immediately printable model option. Plus, printing with lifelike color and texture gives you a better feeling how your restorative solutions will look in the patient’s mouth, and shipping the restoration on a 3D printed model makes the restoration look even better.

Free webinar: What 3D printing can bring to your lab

smaller and smaller 3D printing solutions

 that can create printed objects that used to take a huge machine to produce. And with that smaller size often comes a smaller price. These smaller printers might not be able to do everything their bigger siblings can, but, for basic work, having a printer the size of an inkjet printer or a mini-fridge is a no-brainer. It seems to be a rule of technology: The longer tech is around, the smaller it gets. That’s certainly proving to be true with 3D printers.

Dental Lab Products June 2015

11 ways to get better esthetics in your dental lab

Getting Great Esthetics—No Matter What Tools You Use

The most perfect porcelain accessories for your laboratory

5 3D printing trends you should know