A dental technician is a member of the dental team who manufactures dental appliances such as removable prothesis, including dentures, and fixed prostheses, such as crowns and bridges. 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. Such new technologies are CAD/CAM or electroforming. The insert picture shows a three unit porcelain fused to metal bridge (PFM) made by a dental technician. There is a growing trend today for dental technicians to manufacture restorations which are metal free creating cosmetically aesthetic restorations 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.
See also
- Dentist and Dentistry
- Dental Auxiliary
- Dental assistant
- Dental therapist
- Dental hygienist
- Dental technician
- Dental Prosthetist
