 delivers a complete picture and in-depth coverage of the innovations transforming the US dental lab industry and the technologies and materials making a difference in lab workflows, clinical capabilities, and patient outcomes. 

 helps dental laboratory technicians, managers, and owners understand the available products and services and how to select the best options for their businesses and the practices they work with.

Luke S. Kahng is an accomplished lab technician, specializing in high-end ceramic restorations. Luke has served on several major dental journal boards as a contributing member. Luke invented the Chairside Shade Guide: Volumes 1 and 2 and then expanded the offering to a unique ceramic shade guide system named the Seasons of Life Selection. He is owner and President of his own lab, LSK121 Oral Prosthetics, located in Naperville, IL. He has published over 100 articles in major national dental publications.

Articles

Regardless of price, many patients are looking for answers to their esthetic needs. They know technology will allow them even better results than ever before. 

How to create beautiful restorations using metal-free zirconia

Ryan Hamm is the former Editorial Director for Dental Products Report and Digital Esthetics.

In this video sneak peek from the upcoming issue of Dental Lab Product magazine, Dwain Turner, owner of Turner Dental Lab in Texas, describes how he's incorporated the anaxFORM system and Acryline denture material (both from Anaxform) into his workflow, and how those products have improved his efficiency and provided new, cost-effective solutions.

Print Sneak Peek: One lab's experience with anaxFORM and Acryline [VIDEO]

Dental technology is moving at a very fast pace and products are changing all the time. Convenience is key, and in this current economic situation, we all want to be more efficient with our materials to cut down on our overall costs. Everyone is searching for ways to save time but still achieve the best possible results. The following procedure shows how one porcelain powder can be used to achieve outstanding results. This system is very simple to master and easy to work with. Case Study

Outstanding results using just one color

Tom Zaleske is the owner of Matrix Dental Laboratory in Crown Point, Ind., and has more than 25 years of experience in removable prosthodontics. He regularly lectures on providing high-quality service to dentists and, most importantly, to their patients. He can be reached at

Don’t let its lack of sophistication fool you into believing this product has no value. That should be the “tag line” for a pair of products I stumbled across last year and started using in my removable prosthetic laboratory shortly afterward.

The simple and effective way to produce models in the lab

  New dentists looking for a chance to network and learn from their peers should plan to attend the ADA New Dentist Committee as it hosts the 26th New Dentist Conference June 22-24, in Washington, D.C.  

ADA's New Dentist Conference heads to D.C. this summer

 There are several different color choices for creating a treatment plan wax-up. Most lab technicians use white solid, clear or gray wax, finding this to be acceptable. It’s a standard operating procedure because the results are predictable, the material easy to work with.

Esthetic colored wax-ups

 Our patient, a female in her mid-30s, is the sister of a dental hygienist. Because of this close relationship, there were two people carefully inspecting her dental work, one with plenty of knowledge about the field.

Matching a single

 There are a lot of factors that go into matching color for the posterior teeth. Harmony is sometimes difficult to achieve because patients often have amalgam fillings in these teeth, which will generate a blue tint to the enamel. We need to first understand natural teeth color and then see a proper preparation reduction margin design to create a matching restoration for the molars. We also have to look at the occlusal surface of the adjacent teeth.  This article will detail a case for one of my own clients, a periodontist, who trusted me with his work.

Simple matching of posterior teeth

 Many labs are involved in a digital workflow in one way or another. Those involved most likely agree that digital is undoubtedly the future of our industry. From hardware such as scanners and mills in our labs, to the digital acquisition of impressions from chairside scanners in dental practices, we are transitioning away from the old school and experiencing the advantages these technologies offer.

Step-By-Step: Lava DVS

 We sometimes struggle to match a patient’s tissue color. The tough connective gingiva, which lines the base of the teeth, is part of the lining of the mouth. Not only does it surround the teeth, it also produces a seal. Unlike the soft tissue linings of the lips and cheeks, most of this gingiva is tightly bound to the underlying bone, which aids in resistance of the chafing of food as it’s chewed.

Lab Materials