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From the Editor 4 Welcome Daniel Shaw to the Editorial Board 4 Book Corner
Bounce: The of Myth
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There is a major change in CPD coming soon. The Dental Technician Magazine is a must read. Tell your colleagues to subscribe and if they do so we will extend your subscription for 3 months.
The only condition is that they have not subscribed to the magazine for more than 12 months. Just ask them to call the Subscriptions Hotline. With four colleagues registered that means your subscription would be extended for a year free of charge.
At only £49.95 per year, for UK residents, this must be the cheapest way of keeping up to date. Help your colleagues to keep up to date as well. Ask them to call the subscriptions Hotline on 01202 586 848 now.
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No doubt you will all be incredibly busy and thundering towards the Christmas rush, we have been desperately trying to recruit in hope to continue meeting the demands on our services. I spent a bit of time chatting with a few technicians recently, asking them about their thoughts on the decline in numbers of Technicians. With just 5000 technicians now registered with the GDC, the numbers are not particularly encouraging. Our local college are also struggling to attract new students to the courses too. At what point will we seek help from decision makers?
Matt Everatt F.O.T.Al Welcome to your November edition of The Dental Technician Magazine. It seems incredible to be in November already! Last month I was writing about the change in seasons and the leaves beginning to fall from the branches, as I look out of my office window, there are just a few leaves left stubbornly clinging on, ready to drop the minute we have the slightest breeze.
I recently added a poll in a Dentistry Group on Facebook, asking Dentists if they had noticed any issues with their laboratory services. I received a lot of responses and some very positive support for our arm of the dental profession; a few dentists saying how poorly Dental Technicians have been treated over the years and how they were forgotten during the pandemic when the NHS paid dentists whilst they were closed, but nothing trickled down to those labs that supported the NHS practices for years. Staggeringly, 41% of respondents
reported delays due to staff shortages in the Labs and 31% reported a decline in the quality of lab work. Could this be due to labs having to take on less experienced staff or having to drop quality to rush cases through? Either-way, it is not great news. Just 15% of respondents said they have not experienced any issues. 8% had reported their labs had stopped taking on new cases.
I have written a follow up to my previous ‘Curious Demise of The Dental Technician’ in this month’s magazine. I would be keen to hear from readers to see what life is like in different labs around the UK.
I hope you enjoy reading the November magazine and I look forward to welcoming you to the final edition of 2022 in December.
We are still very keen to add new people to our Editorial Board, with hope to keep bringing in fresh content. If you would like to join us or would like more information on what type of commitment is needed, please email me editor@dentaltechnician.org.uk
l We would like to introduce you to Daniel Shaw, joining our Editorial Board in January 2023.
Daniel is Laboratory Manager at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and actively works as a Maxillofacial and Orthodontic Technician.
Over the years we have been fortunate to have already published a number of articles and case studies from Daniel and his colleagues. He is a very experienced technician and will be bringing a plethora of interesting articles, case studies and papers for readers to enjoy.
His most recent paper is due to be published imminently and he has kindly shared an abstract with us to give us an idea of some of the interesting pieces he will be working on:
“As a team we are often referred patients that present us with a real challenge. On occasion we often receive very interesting and surprising referrals too. In this particular case, the patient had been born with a sacrococcygeal teratoma tumour of significant weight at the base of her coccyx. She was operated on immediately following her C section delivery and then her life began with the monitoring of the area and strict medication and personal hygiene regimes. At the age of eleven, she
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was referred to Daniel at Chesterfield Royal for some form of prosthetic filler/ camouflage. This presentation explains the patient’s condition and treatment but focuses on the Laboratory procedure, in order to attempt to give the patient a sense of confidence in her appearance.”
We are delighted to have Daniel join our Editorial Board in January. Over the decades, The Dental Technician Magazine has always had some great articles from our Maxillofacial Colleagues. It is always interesting to see some of the wonderful, often bizarre and fortunately rare cases they work on.
We look forward to seeing more from Daniel in January edition.
We recently had a feature with a few book recommendations. We would like to try and keep this feature going as a quarterly feature, or if we get inundated with book recommendations we could certainly run this as a monthly feature.
If you would like to share a book with us, please drop us an email to: editor@dentaltechnician.org.uk Please tell us the title, author, date it was published and a bit of blurb about the book and why you wanted to share it with us.
Author: Matthew Syed
Reviewed by: Matt Everatt
lIn previous editions I have written about some of my favourite authors, one being Mel Robbins. A leading inspirational speaker and author of the ‘5 Second Rule’. She has just began her own podcast show and I am an avid listener. I find digesting podcasts a little easier sometimes than picking up a book. That said, I do love a good book for those times on holiday when you get a couple of hours free, I usually find a book and get hooked.
This October half term, my wife passed me a copy of ‘Bounce’ by the Olympian and renowned author, Matthew Syed. Although I haven’t quite finished the book yet, I cannot help but rave about it. Syed writes about the myths of talent and how everyone has the ability to succeed with the right amount of practice.
The book is written mainly from a sporting background, and he uses himself as an example, how he as a Gold Medallist only succeeded due to the amount of practice he put in rather than any natural born talent. I immediately related this to Dental Technology and business in general. We have all said these words; ‘Wow, he/she is so talented’ ‘he/she is a natural’ ‘They were born to be a ……..’ Syed debunks the ‘Talent Myths’ and gives great examples how some of our superstar sports people succeeded simply because they put in the hours. Obviously, there are some physical features that help, such as being tall if you want to play basketball or have a weight advantage if you want to be the next Sumo Wrestling champ. Largely though, success comes from the circumstances we are surrounded by and the amount of effort put in by those individuals wanting to achieve greatness.
I was very sceptical when I first started reading the book, I WAS a big believer in people being born with natural talents. My mind has been changed! It is a fantastic book and I would highly recommend Matthew Syed as an author, my wife has read several of his books already, I intend on reading more for sure.
lGillingham – 20 October 2022: Henry Schein Dental and Henry Schein Medical UK have teamed up with The Hygiene Bank, a nationwide organisation that provides people in need with hygiene products across the UK, to help tackle hygiene poverty. Hygiene necessities were donated, sorted, packed, and delivered to three local organisations by Henry Schein UK.
More than one in five people in the UK live in poverty – 14.5 million people according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Access to basic hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap, is limited for many of these individuals. Therefore, Team Schein Members (TSMs) at Henry Schein UK came together to donate 723.34kg personal and household products for people who need it most.
Members of Henry Schein UK’s Corporate Social Responsibility Committee at its Gillingham Head Office stockpiled the products, creating packages tailored for different members of the community. Once sorted and packed, committee members along with Emma Thomas, Project Coordinator at The Hygiene Bank Medway, delivered the range of items (toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, soap, laundry detergent, and more) to The Nigerian Community Association (Kent and Medway), Warren Wood Primary Academy (Rochester), and a voluntary organisation in Medway.
The hygiene items are set to be given to refugees, domestic abuse victims, and local underserved families who need immediate support.
“The Hygiene Bank Medway is based on community involvement and collaboration. Working with the Henry Schein UK team highlights just how amazing things can happen when we all pull together,” said Ms. Thomas. “Hygiene poverty is often described as a hidden crisis in today’s society, but by working locally in partnership with Henry Schein UK, we hope to strengthen
community cohesion by raising awareness that although hygiene poverty is close to home, it is also a problem that we can tackle together. Thanks again to the Henry Schein UK team for their support, and we sincerely hope it is just the start of our amazing partnership.”
This initiative aligns with Henry Schein Cares, Henry Schein’s corporate social responsibility programme. Henry Schein Cares stands on five pillars: empowering Team Schein to reach their potential, advancing health equity and expanding access to care for underserved communities, accelerating environmental sustainability, strengthening, and diversifying our supply chain, and maintaining strong ethical governance.
Health care activities supported by Henry Schein Cares focus on four main areas: (1) wellness, treatment, prevention, and education; (2) capacity building; (3) emergency preparedness and disaster response; and (4) health system strengthening.
“Henry Schein UK is pleased to join forces with The Hygiene Bank to help make a difference in the lives of individuals in our local community,” said Vikki Goodall, Senior Director and General Manager, Henry Schein Dental UK. “The reality is that millions of people across the UK are lacking access to basic human necessities –something that many of us take for granted. Team Schein is grateful to the Hygiene Bank for giving us the opportunity to provide much needed items to very deserving people and families, and we look forward to continuing our partnership.”
Other Henry Schein offices also collected hygiene products and donated to them local banks, including locations in Cardiff, Derby, Ireland, and Ilkley.
For more information about the Hygiene Bank Medway, please visit: https://thehygienebank.com
BY MATT NORIE, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR AT S4S DENTAL LABORATORY
lI would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Richard Daniels for his 10 years of service at S4S Dental Laboratory. With the exception of our current Directors and one other member of staff, Richard is our longest serving team member.
Back in 2012, we were becoming increasingly busy and desperately needed to take on new recruits. I had, on a few occasions, mentioned I had a friend called Richard who wasn’t particularly enjoying his current job and might be worth taking a punt at training him up to become a Technician. Richard and I have been friends through school. He had left school at the age of 16 and went straight to work as a Mechanic in the garage where he had completed his work placement.
Working 6 days a week in the garage and having to subsidise his salary with extra work outside of his full time job, Richard was struggling to spend any decent time with his young family. His garage employer even denied him annual leave one year, meaning his family went on holiday without him. The 19 years he had spent working long hours and long weeks had taken its toll. So, when I called Richard to ask if he’d like to come in for a chat about a possible role in our Lab, he jumped at it. A few weeks later he joined us.
Starting off in the plaster room, he soon got to grips with the technical processes and was it was clear his mechanical and technical knowledge he had picked up during his 10 years as a mechanic was a great advantage and he was quick to learn. He could literally turn his hand to anything given the opportunity. We really wanted him to train as a Dental Technician, family commitments and colleges didn’t really have a course flexible enough meant he was a ‘Process Worker’ for many years. Process Worker doesn’t really do justice to his role and the integral part he became within the lab at S4S.
Fast forward 10 years on, Richard is now part of the companies ‘Senior Maintenance Team’, this is alongside his supervised technical work.
Much to our delight, Richard signed up to the BTEC Dental Technology Course at Sheffield College in 2021 and is on track to qualify to become a registered Dental Technician in 2023.
On behalf of all of us at S4S and the Directors, Matt Everatt, Neil Bullement, John Bevan, Ellis Bullement and myself, I want to say a huge congratulation to Richard and thank him for the 10 years he has devoted to S4S. He has been incredibly loyal, always there when the pressure is on and always produces quality whatever he turns his hand to. We look forward to working with you for the next 10 years and beyond.
lOctober saw Den-Tech’s longawaited trip to Uganda to set up a dental laboratory in the Destiny medical centre in Wakiso town.
Den-Tech is a dental charity that focuses primarily on restoring the patient’s dentition by the provision of dentures and occasionally crowns and bridges through its network of volunteer dental laboratories in the UK. In the UK they provide services for our homeless, domestic abuse victims and our veterans. Abroad they focus on providing dental laboratory equipment, training, and ongoing support to enable local communities to provide sustainable dental services for themselves. To offer a hand up, not just a handout.
services, eye clinic, antenatal clinic, family planning clinic, postnatal care, paediatric immunisations, radiology facilities and a HIV clinic to the communities of the Wakiso and Kampala areas.
A team of 14 volunteers went over for 2 weeks to complete as much of the work as possible and set up the dental and ophthalmology services. 3 of these members were from Den-Tech, Andrea JohnsonTrustee board Chair, Andrew Sinclair –Trustee board Vice Chair and Parul Gandhi who is the incoming Den-Tech CEO.
By Andrea Johnson Editorial Board MemberThe destiny Medical Centre was founded by GP Dr Dee Weevil and is situated in the grounds of the Kampala Children’s Centre. Work started in 2015 on the building work and when complete it aims to provide general outpatient care, dispensing of medication, dental clinic & dental laboratory
Uganda is always a very challenging environment to work in due to the climate and the poor infrastructure amongst other reasons. The team worked 11–12 hour days every day over the 2 weeks with only 1 day of rest. Most days they experienced power cuts that would last for hours and at time and had to work in the dark with just head torches to light their way. Thank goodness for cordless drills!
On the second week the teams ran both dental and ophthalmology outreach clinics in the local area for 2 days. The dental outreach clinic was set up in a tent and the Den-Tech team were joined by 3 Ugandan dental staff. Over the 2 days they saw 117 patients, extracted 99 teeth, carried out 21 fillings and made 7 dentures.
It is such a privilege to be able to retore the dentition of some of the most needy patients in these situations who would not otherwise be able to access or afford dental treatment and especially not dentures. From the 21 year old who had lost 4 of his anterior teeth in a motorbike accident who said he felt that he would now have a future where he could be loved and taken seriously when applying for jobs, to the lady who could once again eat a varied and healthy diet. Every patient was incredibly grateful and felt this would have a life changing effect for them.
The lab set up was only made possible through the generous donations of equipment from our techs around the country who we thank from the bottom of our hearts and with additional thanks to Alistair Mayoh from Kemdent who also very kindly donated some wax.
If you wish to know more about DenTech or offer your support in anyway, please go to www.den-tech.org
lOn Thursday 13 October, a team from Dentsply Sirona was delighted to present a donation cheque for £5,581 to Dentaid, the pioneering charity that provides free emergency dental care to homeless and vulnerable people.
This impressive total was raised by Miles for Smiles, a charity walk on 30 September organised by Dentsply Sirona, that saw two intrepid groups walk 22.7km around London and Manchester to raise money for this worthy cause.
The cheque was handed over to Dentaid representatives at one of their mobile dental units in Hastings, by Francois Loiseau, Vice President and General Manager Dentsply Sirona UK & Ireland, Louise Locke, Sales Training Lead UK & Ireland and Ian Huggett, Digital Marketing Executive.
The team then went on to visit a local homeless shelter in Hastings to see some of Dentaid’s vital work in action.
Speaking after the event, Francois commented: ‘Meeting some of the Dentaid team first-hand and seeing the life-changing work they do brought home to us how important it is for us all to come together and find ways of supporting those in need, particularly in these straitened times.
We are very proud of the amount our inaugural Miles for Smiles walk was able to raise and we’d like to thank everyone who took part. We’d also like to thank Dental Sky , Trycare and Manan for sponsoring the event.’
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lIt goes without saying that, over the past few decades, there has been a plethora of change occurring within the dental profession.
While there are certainly many negatives to focus on, there are plenty of positives that have emerged, too. The future looks promising for dental laboratories that prepare now and start focusing on how to flourish in the coming years.
The issues with recruitment are well-known, among dental lab and practice owners alike. For the laboratory, many dental technicians have either reached retirement age, are working part-time or have left to try their hand at something new. Between September 2021 and 2022, the number of registered dental technicians dropped by 3.19%, from 5290 to 5121.i The pandemic, as one example, gave professionals plenty of time to consider what they want out of their personal and professional lives, and many took the chance to make a change to their work-life balance. However, despite the undue stress this recruitment crisis has caused, there are positives to take away from it.
The dynamics have undoubtedly shifted in the dental laboratory as a result of fewer staff, and therefore the importance of retaining those hard-working team members has never been more apparent. Many lab owners have undoubtedly recognised the benefits of investing in those who have stayed and continue to produce beautiful work that satisfies clients. Anecdotally, communication has most likely improved as a result too, between the team as well as the dental practice. A smaller workforce means the team must communicate more efficiently, as they are likely taking on more responsibilities and will require extra support from their team members/employer. As we are all well aware, effective communication can help us to stay composed and adjust in times of crisis.
The rise of social media and influence has affected dentistry in a myriad of ways. Clinicians are seeing more and more patients who desire beautiful restorations and prostheses, but it comes with a catch – they
want it now. Most patients nowadays are used to immediacy when it comes to their investments. Dental prostheses, as you well know, require an artful eye and a steady hand, and rushing a job only results in a higher risk of errors. There’s also so much more variety than there was several years ago with regards to the dental materials and products available, and some clinicians may be inclined to look elsewhere for work if their laboratory cannot cater to these demands.
It’s important to note, however, how shifting patient trends have made a positive impact on the profession. Over the years, dental products and materials have been improved and enhanced, so dental technicians have more choice and are able to produce better outcomes for their clients. Many laboratory owners have no doubt scoured the market, seeking new products that offer better value, higher quality and are able to save time when fabricating work. The common saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but reviewing the processes you have in place and seeing if positive change can
be made will always benefit your laboratory, your clients and their patients.
Dentistry is still very much a ‘human’ profession, but digitalisation has helped to simplify a range of jobs, many of which consume needless time, labour and effort. Introducing automation into the dental laboratory can help the team to work more effectively and frees up time to focus on other aspects of running the business. This might include spending time on work that requires more customisation or handfinishing. Certain digital solutions, such as milling machines, have been praised for the accuracy they provide.ii Likewise, CAD/ CAM technology can help to reduce costs, working times and potential errors in the work produced. iii
In light of the events of recent years, digital dentistry has also provided further advantages, namely in the reduced risks of infection transmission. This is exemplified in the use of digital CAD/CAM technology
that removed the need for human contact, thereby reducing the risk of transmission from the practice to the laboratory.iii
What does the future really look like?
At next year’s Dental Technology Showcase (DTS), the focus will be on growth, and how this is facilitated by the adoption of modernised technologies. Delegates will be spoiled for choice, with over eighty exhibitors, more than fifty world-renowned speakers and the opportunity to gain over forty hours of verifiable CPD. It’s a fantastic opportunity for dental laboratory professionals to come together with a range of innovators, to recognise the advantages
of tech acquisition. DTS will take place on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th May 2023, at the NEC Birmingham. Be sure to register your interest today!
As a profession, there are so many exhilarating innovations emerging that are changing how we do dentistry. It’s important now more than ever that we look forward to and work towards positive change and growth for the industry.
i General Dental Council. (2020). Registration reports. [online] Available at: https://www.
gdc-uk.org/about-us/what-we-do/the-registers/ registration-reports [Accessed 28 Sep. 2022].
ii Lebon, N., Tapie, L., Duret, F. and Attal, J.-P. (2016). Understanding dental CAD/CAM for restorations--dental milling machines from a mechanical engineering viewpoint. Part B: labside milling machines. International journal of computerized dentistry, [online] 19(2), pp.115–134. Available at: https://europepmc.org/article/ med/27274561 [Accessed 27 Sep. 2022].
iii Papi, P., Di Murro, B., Penna, D. and Pompa, G. (2020). Digital prosthetic workflow during COVID‐19 pandemic to limit infection risk in dental practice. Oral Diseases. [online] Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC7283773/ [Accessed 27 Sep. 2022].
l NexxZr Shine is a two-step diamond polishing system for the effective polishing of dental ceramics, e.g. zirconium oxide, aluminium oxide, lithium disilicate or glass ceramic. The dimensionally stable, diamondinfused rubber polishers convince users with their easy and efficient application.
Additionally, they have a long service life and provide a true-to-nature lustre. NexxZr Shine creates a homogeneous surface with both monolithic and partially veneered restorations.
There are three coordinated shapes for the optimum polishing of the different structures: Twist17, Turn18 and Tip5. The shapes are available in the grain sizes smooth (Step 1, pre-polishing) and gloss (Step 2, high-gloss polishing).
The universally usable diamond polishing paste NexxZr Shine Paste completes the assortment. It removes micro-scratches and leaves a smooth-asglass surface with a high gloss.
With the introduction of these products, Sagemax offers every dental
technician a suitable set for the final processing of dental ceramic materials, ensuring a precise coordination between material and polishing.
For further information, please visit www.sagemax.com
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Dental professionals from across the globe united in Nottingham this October to celebrate 25 years of
The two-day event titled ‘Masters of Removable Prosthetics’, was carefully designed to take the sold-out event of dentists, CDTs and dental technicians, on a journey of the evolution of the system, right from its roots with the original Gnathomat onto the introduction of the BPS (Biofunctional Prosthetic System) workflow in 1997, to Dr Jiro Abe’s Suction Effective Mandibular Complete Denture (SEMCD) technique, and the most recent innovation of the Ivotion Digital Denture System.
As the brainchild of the event, Carl Fenwick, Professional Services Manager at
Ivoclar, sourced and welcomed a panel of 10 world-renowned clinical and technical removable experts to present their research, experiences and top tips which have gone into the development of the system over the past 25 years.
From early beginnings to evolution Held at the impressive De Vere East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, day one commenced by taking delegates back to where it all started. MDT Robert Grunenfelder (Liechtenstein) discussed the evolution of dental articulators since the early 1900s, and how his role in R&D has enabled him to oversee the introduction of key BPS units including the Stratos
the innovative and ever-evolving BPS denture system.
articulators, UTS Transferbow and Gnathomat. Head of Removable Prosthetics Global Education, Dr Frank Zimmerling (Liechtenstein), supported this by taking delegates through the entire BPS clinical and technical workflow in achieving function and aesthetics for complete patient satisfaction.
Having perfectly set the scene for day one, CDT Mattheus Boxhoorn (Switzerland) progressed into the clinical, technical, and even psychological aspects, of helping patients achieve quality of life with exceptional prosthetics. Soon after, Professor Kenichi Matsuda (Japan) joined live from Japan, to inform the audience on how due to the super-ageing society he lives
in, he made it a priority to introduce the BPS workflow into Japanese universities.
Day one lectures ended with the dynamic duo CDT Paul McNally (Ireland) and Technician József Rátonyi (Hungary) demonstrating how their unique working relationship has enabled them to develop and finetune the BPS & SEMCD workflow for the ultimate benefit of the clinician, technician, CDT and patient alike.
Day two: suction technique and digital dentures
Those looking forward to more insight into the effectiveness of Dr Jiro Abe’s Suction Effective Mandibular Complete
Denture (SEMCD) technique, need only listen to the speakers on day two.
Having made the 5,800-mile journey from Japan to join delegates in Nottingham, both CDT Kenji Iwaki and Dr Fumiyaki Yamazaki delivered a series of inspirational lectures and evidentiary videos of the strength and stability of the SEMCD method. Each demonstrated their own experiences and tips to achieving results that meant BPS denture patients were confident biting into hard foods and dental professionals were ‘wowed’ by their strength.
Day two continued to bring delegates into the present (and future) with the focus u
on digital dentures, as MDT Thomas Doblander (Liechtenstein) questioned “Is everything truly digital?”. Introducing the Ivotion Digital Denture System to show its efficiency in terms of fit, precision and time, with its one disc, one milling process, one denture concept, Thomas emphasised that despite the advancements of digital technology we still require the skill of the CDT and technician.
Staying on the theme of digital dentures, CDT Germen Versteeg (Netherlands) concluded the two days by taking to the stage to ask, “How can we make dentures sexy again?”. In Germen’s opinion it centres around making dentures both digital and accessible to the patient. It was the continuous advancement of the BPS protocol that drove him to introduce BPS dentures into high streets and shopping centres in the Netherlands.
The opportunity to discuss trends, talk business, challenge discussions and network with peers was supported by an evening of dinner and entertainment in true Ivoclar style. Guests were left mesmerised by the amazing Magician whilst the giant Scalextric took guests back to their youth and brought out their competitive side.
The key take-away from this two-day event was that the BPS protocol is clearly trusted by dental professionals globally and has been used as a base to develop some of the most successful and accurate techniques for producing removable and implant prosthetics.
Ivoclar’s Carl Fenwick was delighted with how the event had been received; “Being able to provide premium denture solutions can set dental professionals apart
from the competition when it comes to meeting denture demand. As denture pioneers, it’s essential we continue to support our customers by giving them first-hand access to the challenges, discussions, and developments from our denture experts. We look forward to planning more BPS denture events again in the future.”
For more information about Ivoclar’s BPS dentures or ever-developing product portfolio please contact the education team at: courses.gb@ivoclarvivadent.com
Surendra was happy to share some comments about his experience with Kemdent, their products and the competition. He says:
“I can’t say how long I’ve been using the Kemdent Anutex wax for with any accuracy, but I’m sure for at least over 30 years, in South Africa, the USA and the UK.
And, finally, our winner shares his experiences with Kemdent:
“In truth, I have mostly been using third party suppliers for the orders, however, whenever I’ve called or asked for assistance, everyone has been extremely courteous and helpful. The support from Kemdent and their customer service is brilliant.
lEarlier this year, Kemdent announced their competition for dental technicians across the country, as a thankyou to their customers and a celebration of their 100-year anniversary.
The rules were simple – using Kemdent products, the entrants were required to show off their skills and submit pictures of a wax-try in or acrylic denture. The results were fantastic!
Our team were delighted to receive so many impressive entries, all showcasing high standards of skill and craftsmanship. And we’re delighted to announced the winner of the competition – Mr Surendra Naidoo! (From SilverOaks Dental Practice and 543 Dental Centre.)
Also, a big congratulations to our secondplace runner-up, Leon Paul Zanre and our third-place runner-up, Neil from Dent8 Dental Laboratory Ltd! Let’s not forget a special mention to the newly-qualified Ashleigh, from Mango Dental Technologies, for sending in a remarkable entry!
A WORD FROM OUR WINNER Surendra’s submission – a wax try-in – was masterful in its precision and aesthetics. Here’s what our judges had to say: “This entry stood out as the competition winner – it scored very highly in almost every attribute. Good use of coloured waxes was made to produce a stunning example of craftsmanship.
“Precise gingival carving, both on the buccal and palatal aspects of the entry, coupled with some subtle contouring and light stippling, combined to achieve a clear winner. Many congratulations Surendra, a worthy winner!”
“The Anutex wax is consistently of a very high quality and my material of preference as I have tried many different manufacturers in other countries as well.
“From a lab technician point of view, the wax is easy to carve and manipulate, and I can achieve really good, realistic aesthetics for my try-ins. I also use the wax for bite registration blocks, as I find they do not distort as much when returning from the clinics.
“From a clinical point of view, in the mouth, both try-ins and bite registration blocks are dimensionally stable for longer. Once they are contoured and stippled, they are quite impressive to the patient, who will have a good idea of what to expect for the final result.”
Surendra shares his views on the improvement of laboratory materials over the years, and how this has affected his workflow and the work he produces:
“I believe that dental materials have improved over the years, based on feedback from professionals and research. I also think once you get used to a good product, it’s very difficult to change and most technicians use what they’re familiar with.
“I, however, have and always will try new products. To date, I haven’t found any other waxes that would sway me and I don’t use prices as a consideration.”
“I have never entered any competitions in the dental field before, and it was appealing to me to see how I would compare to others in the country.
“I have not yet booked any holidays with my Trailfinders voucher, but thank you to the Kemdent team for the wonderful prize and hospitality!”
Since 1922, Kemdent has contributed massively to the dental profession, developing solutions that have transformed the work of dental technicians and clinicians across the country. Strength, durability, aesthetics and predictability – these are the facets that make up the ethos here at Kemdent.
Our competition not only served as a thank-you to our customers and a celebration of our 100-year anniversary, but it also showcased the talent of our UK dental technicians.
Thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations again to Surendra!
For more information about the leading solutions available from Kemdent, please visit www.kemdent.co.uk or call 01793 770 256
These figures are very worrying, particularly considering we only added 141 to the register in 2021. This included just 128 UK qualified Dental Technicians and only 13 from overseas (GDC, 2021).
I suspect there may be a few Dental Technicians who had previously registered with the GDC and have let their registrations lapse and continue to work as process workers, however I cannot imagine this would be many. My own lab as an example, we haven’t had any technicians give up their registrations, even those nearing retirement age.
By Matt Everatt F.O.T.AIn August 2021, I wrote the first article with this title following a written piece in the BDJ about the lack of support Dental Labs received during and immediately after the pandemic.
In October 2021 I wrote the 2nd article and threw around some figures showing just how quickly our arm of the dental profession is in decline.
Some of the latest figures statistics highlight the majority of Dental Technicians and Lab owners are in their 50’s, with only just a handful of Educational institutions now offering Dental Technology courses, this figure is only going to get worse, as we simply aren’t training anywhere near enough students.
In 2018, the GDC register had 6163 registered Dental Technicians, the decline year on year is staggering. 2019 dropped to 5776. The latest figures get worse, between September 2021 and 2022, the number of registered Dental Technicians dropped by another 3.19%, from 5290 to 5121 in September (GDC, 2022). This is a loss of over a 1000 GDC registered Dental Technicians.
I am aware that there has been a huge decline in the number of students enrolling on Dental Technology courses at colleges and University’s this year. I expect a huge part of the reason, we are still invisible to the general public and with the numbers declining as they currently are, it is no surprise. We do need to do our bit to get out to schools and promote our profession to school leavers.
I am very conscious that my article so far isn’t the cheeriest. I am not a gloomy person by nature and I do genuinely see that we have an opportunity to make our profession lots better for those already in it and for new blood joining us. The big thing I always write about, PRICES and SALARIES. The two are of course intrinsically linked, if we charge too little for our services and goods, we can only pay low salaries. If we price our goods properly, we can pay better salaries and run better, safer, more attractive businesses.
We can also learn to operate a leaner and more efficient business, after all, necessity is the mother of all invention. This doesn’t mean axing jobs, far from it. I mean you can implement good systems and procedures and bring in staff to help with some of the tasks such as admin, often picked up by any tech that can turn their hand to using a PC or accounting software.
Here is the big question, can we as a group of Dental Professionals, create enough noise to get others listening to our concerns? After all, we are a very small group on the decline. We need to come together to look at a way forward. If we cannot get our peers or professional bodies to take note and help raise our profiles, then this is something we must do ourselves. We need to get out to schools and colleges and show our Technicians of the future what a great profession we are in.
Times are definitely changing; in my experience they are changing for the better. Dentists and practices seem more willing to pay a premium for quality work. On the whole, my experience is that practices appreciate a 2-way communication between Technicians and the Dentists. Patients are more aware of treatments available to them and they are actively seeking more cosmetic treatments where laboratories are involved.
I would be really keen to hear from readers about your recent experiences with trying to employ new team members. Have you struggled? Has it been easy? Do you have good links with your local college or university? Are you willing to employ newbies and train them yourself?
If you would like to drop me a message, please email me at editor@dentaltechnician.org.uk
General Dental Council. (2022). Registration reports [online] Available at: https://www.gdc-uk.org/aboutus/what-we-do/the-registers/registration-reports [Accessed 20 Oct. 2022].
General Dental Council. (2021) Registration statistical report 2021. [online] Available at: https://www. gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/annual-reports/gdc_ registration-statistical-report-2021-22-final-accessible. pdf?sfvrsn=78d3f4e_3 [Accessed 20 Oct. 2022].
A year on - where are we now?
Hi, I’m Tom and I’m a Senior Print Technician at S4S Dental Lab in Sheffield. My background is in materials engineering, so I’m focused on ensuring our parts are produced accurately and the process is repeatable.
Our department needs to be able to print at least 800 models per day to keep up with the lab production, so we have to be really careful to ensure we don’t hold back production! In my spare time I’m a keen musician, so I’m able to apply a lot of my skills from tinkering with instruments and hardware to my job role.
My role working within the Digital Department at S4S means with the exception of one item, I am pretty much stuck without software and computers. I guess this is a sign of the times, maybe there’ll come a time where I won’t even use a hand tool!!!
In my opinion, there is no comparable 3D software which does what we need it to do.
Labelling, neatening and basing models its brilliant. Magics is actually used in a range of industries such as aerospace and automotive – so it has to process data quickly but also really accurately.
For us these have proven to be reliable workhorses that get through a lot of models every day and the quality is incredible. We recently did a study showing we achieve a yield of up to 99% which is far more than we have experienced with other machines on the market. We also have built a really good relationship with Photocentric and worked
on projects to reduce our carbon emissions using their 3D printing technology.
3 Evident Evident is our lab production software and it has revolutionized the way we operate as a lab. The use of barcodes and being able to track every job to a room specific
location allows for speedy and accurate tracking. The digital department simply wouldn’t function the same way without it.
This software package is really comprehensive for us in terms of designing appliances and ensuring we get an excellent, consistent result each time. This software package is at the forefront of our department as we continue to take leaps into the world of printing 3D splints directly.
Not all the aspects of the digital department are as rock and roll as you may think! Stanley tools are always great quality and their kits include everything that could possibly be needed for us in the department. Top-quality, long-lasting tools for cutting, scraping, chopping and the sort are a really crucial part of a successful 3D Printing Department!
By Dr Andrew Keeling
The techniques used to make dentures are labour-intensive, expensive, inaccurate and have remained largely unchanged for decades. Recent advances in technology now make it possible to create 3D printed dentures, so Dr Andrew Keeling is finding out if this is feasible, and whether the results are acceptable to wearers and as good or better than existing dentures.
Although around six per cent of the population have lost all their teeth and require complete removable dentures, their needs are often overlooked in modern dentistry. Dentures have been around for over a century, along with the labourintensive techniques used to make them.
New materials for use in 3D printing have recently received a ‘CE mark’, meaning that they’ve been certified as safe to make items such as dentures. However, there haven’t been any robust studies testing the best ways of manufacturing 3D printed dentures, or finding out how they compare with traditional versions – such as whether they fit better, are sufficiently robust for daily life, or are as well-liked by wearers.
Dentures have been around for over a century, and the techniques used to make them haven’t changed much in that time either…
We wanted to find out how best to make 3D-printed dentures, and test whether they were as good as traditional dentures through clinical trials.
Are 3D-printed dentures better?
3D-printed dentures have the potential to solve a lot of problems. We are investigating whether they can be made better fitting and more comfortable than conventional dentures, and will be cheaper, easier and faster to produce. At the same time, these new dentures must be acceptable to wearers.
In a pilot study, we collaborated with three dental centres equipped with a digital scanner used to scan dental impressions and models. We worked with them to refine the scanning software and optimise the 3D printing process, then trialled the results with users. Each participant in the study was given two sets of dentures: one made using traditional methods, and one made using 3D printing. Overall, both sets were scored about the same by wearers, confirming that the new versions are acceptable.
Now we have found the best method to scan impressions and models, and to print dentures, we will be taking this technology forward into a larger trial.
Dr Andrew Keeling“ Dentures aren’t the most glamorous aspect of dentistry, but they’re essential for millions of people in the UK – many of them older, less wealthy and often struggling with poorly fitting dentures or none at all. ”
What impact could this have?
Our work will not only make a difference for people receiving their first set of dentures, but also people who lose them – a situation that occurs particularly in hospitals and care homes. Currently in the UK, the time and cost of making a new set of dentures means that people can be left without teeth for months, with knock-on effects on nutrition and confidence.
Right now, it takes several dental appointments and costs the NHS thousands of pounds to make a new set of replacement dentures in a care home setting. With 3D printing, we can use the digital scanner file to quickly print a new set to be sent out. Not only could this significantly save time and money, it also reduces the number of face-to-face visits with the dentist.
We’ve shown that 3D-printed dentures are acceptable to users. In the future, they could have the potential to be better fitting and easier to produce than conventional dentures – now that would be something to smile about!
Dentures aren’t the most glamorous aspect of dentistry, but they’re essential for millions of people in the UK – many of them older, less wealthy and often struggling with poorly fitting dentures or none at all. The one thing that stands out from our trials is how grateful the participants always are to receive their dentures. It’s really gratifying to be able to do something meaningful for a significant minority of the population who are often largely forgotten.
Currently, our work has been halted by COVID-19, but we’re hoping to get started
again as soon as it’s safe. The Dunhill Medical Trust got in contact as soon as it became clear that the pandemic was affecting our research, providing support and reassurance early on when nobody knew what was going on. They were quick to react, and have been very accommodating of the changes we’ve had to make to the project.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED HERE; https://dunhillmedical.org.uk/success-stories/can-3dprinting-provide-a-better-way-to-make-dentures/?f bclid=IwAR0xghQwxx46rVWe1K6Hc4PKKCJZ1WVL dd_ei5MDnK58JpG-iZuaRvo3elM
Screwdriver Lab is used to fi x and loosen different screws on the model (not approved for intraoral use)
Available in different lengths and colour codings depending on the implant system
Screw marked with the same colour of the screwdriver, for an easy identification of the screwdriver and implant system
The Screwdriver Holder MagPrism is provided with rubber pads on the underside to prevent slipping on the work surface
“ It’s really gratifying to be able to do something meaningful for a significant minority of the population who are often largely forgotten. ”
Dr Andrew Keeling
Digital dentistry workflows continue to advance and become more widespread in today’s dental laboratories. The adoption and implementation of new, more efficient ways of producing highly accurate dental prosthetics requires a partnership with suppliers with extensive experience in the dental field and a true understanding of the workflows required.
Via their highly regarded UK partners, Blueprint Dental, Italian supplier TECNOGAZ offer an excellent range of milling machines, specifically designed for dental laboratories of all sizes and throughputs.
Founded in 1979, TECNO-GAZ have a long-established pedigree in providing high quality products and solutions to
central mission of always keeping the customer at the centre of their activities.
Today’s range of 5 axis milling machines from the compact A6 through to the work bench C5 and the free standing, high volume G5 provide precision and versatility whether your main focus is crowns, abutments, bridges, screw-retained bridges, models, attachments, inlays,
And, as expected with such a wide range of products, the milling units handle an equally wide range of materials to match your application, including: Wax, PMMA, different resins, composite, pre-sintered zirconium dioxide and aluminium oxide, hydroxyapatite, titanium (grades 2 and 5) and Cr-Co.
So, whether you’re just starting out on your journey to digitalisation or whether you’ve already introduced digital elements to your workflow like CAD/CAM, the team from TECNOGAZ and Blueprint Dental can help.
Another interesting development from TECNO-GAZ involves a new concept in the design of the dental surgery, taking a modular studio approach. This approach lends itself beautifully to dental laboratories with a practising CDT, which requires a patient treatment area, but where, more often than not, space (or lack of) is an issue.
Centred around the Kyri 5-axis treatment unit, all required equipment is mobile and modular, providing maximum comfort, ergonomics and flexibility for both the patient and clinician.
What do you think would be one of the main priorities in the life of a Dental Laboratory? Maintaining a strong and loyal customer base, perhaps? Ensuring a contented workforce and continued product quality? Pursuing more and more knowledge about the subject in order to be able to offer clients the latest breakthroughs in service and technology as soon and as cost effectively as possible? None of the above. So long as you remembered to bring a cake on your birthday everything else was as though pertaining to a spider’s teeth – incidental.
Quite when this ‘tradition’ first manifested itself I never got to discover. It had the air of one of those things that’s just always been. Like pantomime dames and rickets.
“Hi there, you young bugger,” I would get on the 13th of April as I made for the door in readiness for the long trek home, “don’t forget the cake tomorrow.”
Now pardon me for being radical but I always thought that your birthday was supposed to be something special for you, not everyone else and their cousin Gav. Harry came from a family of chefs and his mum would always make a huge, pulsating gateau that had to be eaten through a straw and, of course, this was the mark by which all others were judged. You couldn’t just go to the corner shop and buy a box of Mr Kipling or a jam sponge. Oh no. Unless you were The Boss. And even then, you sent one of the Girls for it.
The first year I went overboard. I spent the lunchtime of the 12th scavenging around the library for huge tomes on Confectionary and Cake Making, that of the 13th in supermarket and general store gathering ingredients and that evening I commandeered the kitchen to prepare my work of culinary art. No Nigellas or Jamies in those days. All we had was Fannies. And Johnnies. But, I digress. Back to baking.
My mum, of course, offered her assistance and expertise, and she did make a very good coffee sponge, but I was seventeen years old the next day and ready to make my own way in the world.
“Thank you, Mother, for your kind offer but I feel I ought to be learning to stand on my own two feet. I will, however, bear your words in mind and be in readiness to summon you to my side should I feel the need.”
.... might have been what I should have said. Being a spotty, stroppy acne-carriage of a teenager, I said,
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At the outset the scene was one of domestic bliss. Tidily scrubbed kitchen with ingredients, bowls, utensils and ephemera laid out in order of requirement as stipulated by the gigantic volume straining at the table legs. I was fully aware of the hilarious sketches involving Leslie Crowther and Peter Glaze in the children’s televisual extravaganza, Crackerjack (CRACKERJACK!!) – yes, thank you – and their tendency to finish up as a gooey mess with flour, eggs and sugar everywhere save for in the bowl and had no intention of following suit so I very carefully drew the kitchen scales from their resting place on a slightly-out-of-reach shelf and placed them on the work surface.
‘Beat 14 ounces of butter and 14 ounces of caster sugar together in a bowl until creamy’. Easy enough. Perhaps somebody should have told me to take the butter out of the fridge earlier and then it wouldn’t have been the consistency of a house brick. It became apparent that it would be the work of several hours as things stood so I had a brainwave. I could melt the butter in a pan and pour it on to the sugar. I couldn’t for the life of me think why the so-called cookery expert Craddocks had failed to spot that one and made a mental note to write to the BBC about it.
I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to melt a virtually frozen block of butter in a saucepan. It’s not as simple as it sounds. Before long there was a worrying aroma suggestive of something greasy welding itself to a very hot metal surface and lots of flaky brown and black bits bobbing around in the bottom of the
pan. Okay, things hadn’t started perfectly but it was early days. Eventually I had the butter at some sort of state where I could hopefully use it and poured it onto the sugar which immediately congealed into a lump which I belayed and battered with a wooden spoon until it capitulated and sank into jaundiced ooze ready for the next stage. ‘Beat in eight eggs’. I broke the first egg and plopped it into the mix where, of course, as the mix was still piping hot, it began instantly to evolve into an omelette. So I removed it as best I could and set it aside whereupon the dog promptly ate it, leaving me one egg short and the very first tingly suggestions in the back of my mind that things weren’t going to pan out as I might have wished.
OK, well, seven eggs can’t be that different to eight and some of the butter and sugar went with it so that probably means it’ll be ok. I wondered whether or not to adjust the remaining ingredients but couldn’t be bothered to work it out so I thought, it’ll be ok. ‘14 ounces of self-raising flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder, beat it all up together and then add the coffee’.
Ah!
Coffee!
That’s a point. Well, I’d had a few mates round to listen to the first album by some new band from Birmingham called Black Sabbath that I’d just managed to save up for. We drank a lot of coffee back then. All I could find was a cobweb-shrouded bottle of used oil from a tractor engine bearing the legend ‘Camp’ at the back of a cupboard. It had clearly been there some time but I saw no reason to doubt it would serve the purpose and poured what remained into the mix which immediately turned the colour of peat and gave off an aroma not dissimilar to wet leather. ‘Heat the oven to 170 degrees’ it said. Well, I’d already done that so I poured the stodge into a greased cake tin – and, no, I didn’t use something made by Castrol. I used margarine rubbed on with kitchen paper. A quick smooth over the top and into the oven it went. Bake for forty minutes, it said, so I took the dog for a walk.
I don’t suppose I have to tell you that it meant Centigrade and I did Fahrenheit, do I?
I opened the oven to be confronted by a tin full of cake mix that was exactly as it was when it went in, only hotter.
“Muu-u---u-um!”
All in all, it didn’t turn out too bad, I suppose. I managed to get the thing there on the seat of my bike and it sat, heavy and foreboding, in the cramped little kitchen until coffee time.
“Make the coffee, someone.” boomed The Boss. “Hope you didn’t forget the cake, you young bugger.”
What? No ‘Happy Birthday’, here’s a ten quid bonus, why don’t you knock off an hour early and go and have a Wimpy to celebrate?
One of the girls fetched the cake knife from the office – it was used for opening the post on normal days – and trotted off to do the honours. I thought my efforts at icing and decorating the thing might have attracted a comment or two but in that, too, I remained disappointed. I mean I’d even made a little Dental Mechanic out of icing sugar to stand on the top complete with white coat, bottle glasses and toothpick.
“Oh, not bloody coffee cake again. Have none of you buggers got ANY imagination?” This was a little unfair. The last three cakes from various staff members had been, I swear to this day, a leftover Christmas cake hacked into a circle and perfunctorily redecorated, a jam sponge with paper thin icing and hundreds and thousands and a sterling effort involving Rice Krispies, melted chocolate and Smarties. The Boss, having insisted on a plate and fork as opposed to the paper towels and teaspoons condescendingly provided for The Buggers, picked bittily at his piece of cake, twice the size of everyone else’s, naturally, screwing his face up into a vision that would turn the stomach of any respectable gargoyle sculptor in the Middle Ages before supposing that it would have to do.
A lesson well learnt. In future they got what they were given. And it did degrade year by year into a last minute purchase from up the road until, eventually, the whole thing fizzled out about 1980 when Harry said, “&^**^$£s to ‘em and their *&$%in’ cakes”, a sentiment that we all echoed and which endured until my departure from the place some eight years thence.
www.dentaltechnician.org.uk
Previously, our character, Bridget Crown, made the decision to sell her business. Now, as she takes a less active role and comes to the end of her career, she’s looking towards retirement. Making the decision to retire is never easy, and there are many financial aspects that Bridget will need to consider along the way.
Ultimately, when we retire the goal is to have enough income to live comfortably and enjoy the lifestyle you want for the rest of our days. In order to achieve this, Bridget will have to start planning for retirement early, especially if she wants to maximise the income she will receive.
So, where to begin? One smart first step towards retirement that she should take is to look at her current pension, investments and other financial assets and calculate what her projected income will be at retirement.
This will give Bridget a good overview of the sort of capital she will be living off, and sets the stage for her to make any necessary changes to help boost this figure if she so wishes, especially if the amount is less than she expected.
Pension policies should, if possible, be reviewed at least annually to ensure that they are performing well and are fit for purpose
By Richard T Lishman Managing Director of the 4dentists Group of companies
Richard Lishman, award-winning Founder of The IFA’s –a specialist firm of Independent Financial Advisers that provides guidance and advice for some of the wealthiest individuals and businesses in the UK and around the globe – heads this series of editorials for lab technicians.
in relation to the current circumstances. For example, let’s say that Bridget has, for a long time, been on a pension policy that is perfectly serviceable, but that isn’t netting her any particularly great rewards.
By browsing the market and exploring different pension policy options, Bridget could find that she can make considerable extra capital by switching policies or finding a scheme that gives extra benefits. This isn’t just a one-time way to save either, and as the market changes in during her final years of employment, Bridget can keep shopping around to get the best deals.
In doing so, it’s necessary for Bridget to be aware of what swapping pension policies will mean for her tax, too. Depending on the policy/policies she has, the amount of tax she will have to pay on any investments could change or she may be viable to take advantage of certain tax relief strategies.
Having savings in general is a good idea, especially as life isn’t predictable. However, to maximise savings, Bridget can explore account options. Typically, the longer she’s willing to keep money in an account untouched, the better the interest will be. Seeking out higher interest accounts and funnelling an extra capital into these is a great way to earn more on money, usually with little risk involved. Though interest rates aren’t particularly high right now in most Cash ISA accounts, there are other options that will have greater returns – though usually with slightly more risk, such as Stocks and Shares ISA accounts and LISAs (Lifetime ISAs). Plus, even switching standard saving accounts between banks often brings immediate perks such as cash lump sums and other benefits that Bridget could take advantage of in the short- and long-term, such as travel insurance, money back on groceries and fuel and other everyday savings.
On the investment front, Bridget should make sure that her existing portfolio of investments is balanced and performing well. Bridget can make serious money is she’s willing to be a bit riskier on this front. Generally speaking, people should avoid investing any capital that would have a significant impact on their lives if they lost it. However, if Bridget does have income at her disposal that she can live without, investing wisely could see her net huge returns if done correctly and at the right time.
The last thing anyone needs as they head towards retirement is the threat of debt hanging over them. Of course, debt varies wildly from person to person depending on their borrowing habits. However, let’s assume that Bridget uses credit cards and still has a mortgage to pay off.
Through careful planning and looking deeply at her finances, Bridget may find she is able to stop using credit cards completely and also pay off the remainder of her mortgage before retirement, leaving her with more manageable outgoings when the time for retirement eventually comes around.
Retirement may seem years and years away, but the sooner you start planning, the easier it is to ensure your finances are in good condition for the future. Seeking expert advice is vital in this scenario. Working with a team such as The IFAs will enable you to plan your finances effectively, explore the available market options for pension policies, insurance and seek advice when it comes to investments, putting you in the strongest position for when your career is coming to an end.
For more information, please call 0845 345 5060 or 0754 336 8478 or visit www.theifas.com
Patient: face before
A53 year old man attended complaining of pain from an existing bridge UR2 - UL2. It needed to be extracted because several roots were infected and would have required re-RCT, which the patient did not want to do. On closer inspection, the remaining teeth in the upper arch required some work as well (one RCT), but otherwise the teeth had a good prognosis.
The options were explained to the patient (implants, bridges/crowns/dentures) and the patient decided to save his remaining teeth. Written and verbal consent was obtained. We took clinical records and a series of DSLR photos and intraoral scanning with the Carestream 3600 intra oral scanner with scan flow software. The CS 3600 was chosen because of the comprehensive restorative features such as checking how much tooth structure has been removed compared to the pre-op tooth shape, as well as checking for any undercuts.
The decision was made, to extract the remaining upper incisors and make a temporary bridge from UR3 - UL3 in Luxatemp A3 with no immediate change to tooth shape or smile design.
The patient could then recover and consider his options, while no longer in pain. During this time we were working on the smile design process. We decided to let the area heal for 4 months, which would give us enough time to plan and for the patient to decide on his final treatment options.
THE PROCESS CHOSEN:
Printed models of wax up
Clear silicone stent for trial smile
STEP 1 AND 2 - DIGITAL SMILE DESIGN AND PRINTED MODELS OF WAX UP
Designed to communicate better with the patient. A digital design may look very advanced, however, it is often the printed model of the wax up that makes the case very real to the patient. It can be seen in the excitement the patient experiences, when they hold their ‘new teeth’ in their hands.
STEP 3 - CLEAR SILICONE STENT FOR TRIAL SMILE
This is a good way to communicate and verify that this is what the patient wants ( visual consent ), by using the stent to ‘glue in’ just before the preparation. It also helps as a prep-through guide with depth cutting burs.
STEP 4 - PREP AND LIVING WITH TRIAL SMILE FOR A FEW DAYS
This step is much more reassuring for the patient, who used to have no idea what his new teeth would look like before the temporaries would be close to the final result. Now the patient has the confidence to know what his teeth will look and feel like before the preparation.
Once the trial smile (the real temporaries) have been fitted, the patient and the dentist can make further changes on the Luxatemp material. Even if no further changes are made, I recommend to re-scan just in case a change has happened during the fitting of the trial smile. For example if the dentist pushes too much or too little on the silicone stent, or the patient moves.
Due to the accuracy of intraoral scanning, the digital smile design and computer milled restorations, adjustments at this stage are now usually minor. I should point out that for single unit restorations, I work without printed models, unless in high aesthetics cases. However, for multiple units, I will choose to have printed models, so the technician and I can check all restorations at the same time.
Giving the patient time to wear the new restorations, allows the patient to discover smaller details often missed when the he or she has been in the dental chair for a few hours and is still numb.
In our case, the patient decided in the on a bridge UR3 - UL3, bridge UL4-UL6 and a crown UR6. The patient was going to whiten the lower arch with Enlighten, for guaranteed B1 and less contrast with the new upper arch.
Now it was over to the team at Ambridge ceramics, who I have worked with for years and appreciate their input and help with complex cases.
A digital smile design film was made with 3Shape Dental Designer. This gives a much better illustration. We chose to include the design also for UR54 for better cosmetic effect, even though the patient didn’t seem to be that concerned about treating UR54 after the temporary bridge solved his immediate
problem. The patient liked the digital design, because it didn’t just ‘show teeth’, but it showed a simulation of teeth superimposed onto the patients face. From experience patients find this very helpful, instead of just looking at a design of teeth.
A printed model was produced on a Structo Dentaform 3D printer, a clear silicone stent was made to ‘glue in’ the trial smile, and show the patient what it would look like. The patient liked it so much, that he decided to include UR5,4 after all.
The trial smile was used as a prep though guide and photos were taken for stump shades (ND3). New temporaries were made in B1, and the patient did not want any changes made, to the temporary trial smile. A further scan and photos were made, to give the technician as much information of the process. I know he appreciates and it helps us both to produce a better result.
The restorations were milled on a Roland DWX52 DC from Aidite 3DPro u
SuperTranslucent Zirconia (Bleach shade), hand finished with tertiary anatomy, pre sinter stained with ZirconZahn Prettau effects, post sinter stained and glazed with MIYO. With the skill of the technicians, we could avoid the use of pink porcelain by shaping the bridge carefully, and because the patient did not have a high lip line.
The bridges and crowns were tried in with try-in paste (Vitique, water based) for final approval, and to check how all restorations fit individually and at the same time.
Cementation was done with Rely X Ultimate (clear, dual cure). No adjustment the occlusion was required, and the patient has been invited to return for a final check whilst not numb. Hence, only a limited amount of photos were taken post-op. The final photos are yet to be taken, however, the patient was very pleased to get his new teeth in time before Christmas.
What did I like: The digital process is fantastic for verification of the steps, even whilst the patient is still in the dental chair. It helps technicians, dentists and ultimately the patients in terms of communication, accuracy and cosmetic result.
I would consider lab made provisionals for even better gingival health at the prep stage.
Technology is constantly improving, and it is important to speak to the dental technicians, to learn from them and how to get better results by giving them the information/photos/scans they need. The communication should ideally be going in both directions, where dentists and technicians tell each other how they can improve and learn from each other.
I’m happy that high end dental technicians are available in the UK, even if it is easier than ever to send and receive work form abroad. However, I think it would be a great loss if this skill was lost in the UK, and urge dentists to chose their technicians carefully.
Even if the future is digital, we cannot digitise trust and relationships build over years.
w Patients seek solutions that deliver longlasting and comfortable results. When you use solutions from Medentika®, a Straumann Group brand, you can give your patients just that.
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w Createch Medical, a proud partner of the Straumann Group, delivers an inclusive, direct-to-lab milling service for busy dental technicians.
In-house design and milling are not always feasible for every dental laboratory – with Createch Medical’s service, however, dental technicians can continue to provide excellent work for their clients, without compromising quality or time. This exceptional service also offers bespoke solutions for optimal flexibility.
Createch Medical utilises ultra-precision measuring devices and five-axis high precision milling machines, ensuring that every product meets the highest standard of quality and accuracy.
Plus, for additional peace of mind, Createch Medical provides a Createch Excellence warranty card with every product, as well as using caring packaging to certify its quality.
For more information, get in touch today.
Register for your account with Createch Medical at http://www.createchmedical.com/en/file-sending/login-registro/
For more information on the Createch Medical direct-to-lab milling service from the Straumann Group, visit https://www.straumann. com/gb/en/dental-professionals/products-and-solutions/implant-borne-prosthetics/products/createch-medical.html
w Especially when manufacturing implant restorations it is important to optimally adjust components to one another.
Zirkonzahn’s line of implant prosthetic components, which includes Scanmarkers, White Scanmarkers, White Metal Scanmarkers, ScanAnalogs (laboratory analogues used as scanmarkers), impression copings, laboratory analogues, Multi Unit Abutments, Raw-Abutments® and healing caps has recently been expanded with new products:
l Zirkonzahn LOC-Connector, a snap attachment system for implants and bars to fix removable dental prostheses on the implant
l Multi Unit Abutments 17°, characterised by a 17° angle to compensate for any implant inclinations and with two different anti rotation connection types which allow intermediate positions
l Titanium Bases K85, with the chimney height adjustable to the individual tooth length
l Titanium Bases K80 Angled Screw Channel, with a chimney height adjustable to the tooth length and the possibility to tilt the screw access channel from 0° to 30°;
l White Metal Scanmarkers, reusable scanbodies to acquire the implant position and orientation during intraoral and model scans
All Zirkonzahn components are available for more than 140 implant systems and are fully integrated in Zirkonzahn.Software.
Zirkonzahn grants up to a 30-year warranty on all implant abutments used, including implants from other manufacturers used with Zirkonzahn implant abutments.
With Zirkonzahn Library Download Center also 3shape and exocad® users can implement the libraries into their design software.
Visit www.zirkonzahn.com and check if the wide range of components is compatible with your implant system!
w More user comfort and higher flexibility: these are the distinctive features of the new Zirkonzahn M2 milling units! The M2 milling unit is available in two different versions: the M2 Wet Heavy Metal and the M2 Dual Wet Heavy Metal. The M2
milling units allow for a particular precise and clean elaboration of all materials, both through wet and dry processing. According to the users’ needs, the M2 Wet Heavy Metal milling unit is also available without wet processing function (M2 Heavy Metal). What differentiates the M2 Dual Wet Heavy Metal milling unit are instead the two separate, flexibly configurable milling chambers for sequential wet and dry processing of all soft and hard dental materials without in-between cleaning.
In all M2 milling units, elaboration processes are particularly stable due to the proven 5+1-axis simultaneous milling technology with orbit and opposed rotary axes. Also hard-to-reach areas – such as undercuts and divergences – can be milled without difficulty and several work pieces can be fixed and processed in the orbit by using various blank holders, e.g. glass ceramics or Raw-Abutment® blanks.
All M2 milling units are stand-alone solutions: indeed, is it possible to start milling and calibration processes or load elaboration tools directly from the machine, via the integrated PC with touchscreen. The machines are provided with spaciously designed, optimally illuminated and easily accessible milling chambers as well as with a tool chamber with dust protection equipped with 21 tool compartments (3x21 in the M2 Dual Wet Heavy Metal milling units). In the M2 Wet Heavy Metal milling unit, additional tool chambers permits to store tidily further milling burs.
The milling units are also equipped with a water collecting tray, an automatic tool changer function with optical tool detection – which ensures the appropriate selection of milling tools resulting in greater safety and precision –as well as an automatic self-cleaning function at the end of the milling process.
The VITA Excellence Awards 2023 will focus on work with the VITAPAN EXCELL anterior tooth set. Any posterior teeth may be used, however, VITAPAN LINGOFORM is worth considering as it is a particularly good match.
A jury of four persons will use the following criteria to evaluate the patient cases that are submitted: esthetics, function, documentation and preparation work.
The lucky winner will be invited to IDS 2023 from March 14-18 in Cologne and have the opportunity to present their patient case to a large, onsite audience. The prize also includes an overnight stay with breakfast in a nearby hotel, as well as a 12.9" Apple iPad Pro.
Additional information, along with the eligibility requirements are available online at www.vita-excellence-award.com
Participation consists of sending in all documents required for participation by January 20, 2023 to the following email: excellenceaward@vita-zahnfabrik.com
The VITAPAN EXCELL denture tooth is used by customers throughout the world. Offering a total of 27 natural shape variants, this tooth range is available in all VITA classical A1-D4 shades, and in the 28 shades of VITA SYSTEM 3D-MASTER. This makes VITAPAN EXCELL truly unbeatable when it comes to shade variety.
With full freedom of choice, you are sure to find the right tooth set to suit each individual patient for a highly esthetic and long-lasting smile. The multi-faceted surface texture can also be age-appropriately adjusted by simply polishing. When combined universally with the multifunctional posterior tooth set VITAPAN LINGOFORM, even more options for full and partial dentures are available.
With the VITA EXCELLENCE AWARD, VITA Zahnfabrik showcases what can be achieved using VITAPAN EXCELL and inspires users to try different applications for themselves.
For further information: www.vita-excellence-award.com
www.dentaltechnician.org.uk
