Dental technician

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A dental technician is a member of the dental team who fabricates dental appliances such as removable prothesis including dentures, and crown and bridgework.

Dental technicians manipulate gold and other precious metals, dental porcelain, acrylics, in order to custom manufacture dental appliances and indirect restoratations that will exactly fit a patient. Dental technology is changing rapidly, with new materials and techniques to work with these materials gaining clinical acceptance. One such new technology is CAD/CAM.

The insert picture shows a three unit porcelain fused to metal bridge (PFM) made by a dental technician. There is a growing trend today to provide restorations which are metal free, principally because of aesthetics. Fabricating restorations by dental technicians allows cosmetically aesthetic fillings with high strength.

It could be said that this profession attracts artistic, detail oriented individuals who have a flair for this unique combination of science, art, and digital dexterity.