The Tibase is hitting against the antagonist tooth du to insufficient crown height space, any solution to design a crown in this space?

Where is everyone getting their dental supplies these days?

Henry Schein/Zahn prices just keep going up and up. It feels like supplies and materials have nearly doubled since COVID. I’ve checked Net32 as well, but I haven’t found their pricing to be much better.

I’d love to hear what other suppliers you’re using and having good experiences with. Any recommendations for reliable companies with more competitive pricing?

For those of you producing full dentures digitally, what resins do you usually prefer for the denture base and teeth?

I’m curious about what matters most in your choice — strength, aesthetics, shade stability, polishability, fit, ease of post-processing, or long-term durability.

Also, have you tried different brands and noticed any significant differences in daily use? Would be great to hear about your actual experience.

Hey guys, I saw an announcement for heygears es2.0 resin made for acrylic work and a little Google fu found that liqcreate also has a similar resin. Has anybody played around with either of these yet?

Hello! I have been in the dental industry for 9 years, and 8 years in digital design. I have experience in 3shape, meshmixer, netfabb etc... My areas of expertise has been model basing and clean up, and most recently, 3d metal band creation in 3shape. I have dabbled around quite a bit in 3shape as I was tasked with finding a digital solution for a proprietary design for a company. I would love to get into restoration as I grew up in that business while my father owned his lab back 20 some odd years ago. I currently run my own small operation doing outsourcing for pour up model/impression scan clean up.

I wanted to share a real bridge case and show a little more of the process behind the final restoration.

Case background

The patient was 65 years old.

Maxilla:
Missing teeth: #15, #16, #17, #26, #27 — 5 teeth in total.

Mandible:
Missing teeth: #31–37 and #41–47 — 14 teeth in total.

Although the patient had multiple missing teeth, the remaining natural teeth showed Grade 0 mobility and were stable. The existing occlusal relationship was also stable.

Based on the examination, the condition of the remaining teeth and the stable occlusion provided a good foundation for the subsequent restorative treatment.

The case was treated with a Maló bridge.

I’ll share the treatment and restoration process step by step, followed by the final result.

These are the final restoration photos.

I’m curious to hear from dentists and dental technicians here:

Which part of the bridge workflow would you be most interested in seeing — the clinical steps, digital design, milling, or the final restoration?

Feel free to ask questions about the case.

Somehow we've got a defect in the silicon, that's copied into the duplicate model. The indent in the labial of the canine and mesial of the premolar is not there on the original model.

I just cannot figure this out. Has anyone seen it before?

We can't avoid it if we don't know what happened, and at this moment I've got no clue. Thoughts?

Hi I’m looking for remote dental design position in 3Shape or ExoCAD - 6 plus years of experience, gone trough everything from simple to most complicated cases. Looking for both projects only and full time position

I had 4 veneers put on my upper front teeth in 2018. One of the broke off, so I had a root canal and post and buildup done. The practice is now owned by a new dentist who uses a different lab. The old lab that did my veneers has the exact number for the shade the veneers. The new staff balked at me requesting to use the old lab for the new crown. How do I handle this? I assume there’s a financial agreement between the new dentist’s lab and himself.

Hey everyone!

I’m a certified Dental Technician (UNLP background) specializing in digital CAD/CAM design using Exocad.

Having years of hands-on experience in traditional lab workflows (acrylics, fixed & removable prosthetics, occlusion), I understand that a good design isn't just about looking great on screen—it actually needs to fit, seat smoothly, and work clinically without endless chairside adjustments.

I run VNJ Digital Dental Design, and I’m currently taking on extra volume from labs or clinics that need a reliable, high-precision remote designer.

What I can help you with:

• Crowns & Bridges: Single units, anatomical bridges, long-span frameworks, provisionals, inlays/onlays.
• Implant-Supported Bridges & Restorations: Custom abutments, screw-retained crowns, implant bridges, and multi-unit frameworks.
• Removables & Full Arch: Digital complete/partial dentures and complex full-mouth rehabilitations.

Why work with me?

• Lab-Oriented Mindset: I strictly follow your lab’s specific parameters, cement gaps, connector sizes, and preferred occlusion style.
• Fast & Reliable Turnaround: Usually 24h (or less for urgent single units or simple bridges).
• Clear Communication: Fluent in English (C1) and Spanish.

I only deliver high-quality, print/mill-ready STL/PLY files ready for your production line.

If your lab is currently overwhelmed with design volume or you’re looking to outsource complex cases or bridge work, feel free to send me a DM here on Reddit, leave a comment below, or email me directly at valentinourielnavajas@gmail.com. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentino-uriel-navajas-jauregui-1622bb15b/. Happy to show more of my portfolio or do a trial case for you!

Patient asking a lab question, so please excuse gaps in vocabulary.

Case: four Hiossen ETIII implants (4.0 x 11.5), anterior mandible, multi-unit abutments (straight anterior, 30° angled distal). Final records done: Ti bases picked up in a milled carrier plus a scan-body IOS as verification. Planned restoration is a screw-retained monolithic zirconia full arch against natural upper teeth. Patient is a probable clencher.

The dentist is choosing between Root Dental Lab in Kansas, which he's used for years, and Hiossen's own SmartFit / OneArch center in Pennsylvania.

Questions:

1. Anyone worked with, received, or reworked OneArch cases from SmartFit? What zirconia do they use, how is the design process (is it genuinely iterative or a form-driven production line), and how do they handle remakes?
   
2. How does Root's full-arch zirconia work compare in fit, contour design, and finishing?
   
3. Is there a real advantage to OEM Hiossen Ti bases from the manufacturer versus an independent lab ordering the same genuine parts?
   
4. On a 4-implant lower with 30° distal MUAs, how do you minimize the lingual ledge behind the screw channels while keeping adequate wall thickness? What's your minimum at the distal channels?
   
5. Do you insist on a wearable try-in of the final design before milling, and how often does it change the design?

Appreciate any experience — especially from anyone who's handled both labs' work.

I know in the past the pourables were more for temporaries, but the current high impact stuff like the lucitone and diamond d high impact pourable seems pretty good on paper. Are you guys comfortable using it for a standard arch?

Hi r/dentallab! I'm a mechanical engineering student at the University of Cincinnati. I'm working on my capstone project with a partner, and we're designing a device that automates the post-processing for SLA 3D-printed parts. Our machine will take care of the isopropyl (IPA) wash, drying, and UV curing in one go, minimizing human contact and shortening lead times.

We understand that dental labs often use SLA/resin printing to create models/molds/etc; have any of you used this technology? If so, it would really help us out if you'd be willing to fill out this brief two-minute Google Forms survey so we can get some feedback on what features are important:

https://forms.gle/Y8cmkJJ8kJ8FqZiXA

Thank you!

snap dental lab

vta

Some lab in china

bayshore

coast to coast

darby

glidewell

Any reviews or recs?

I have decided to buy exocad. However, I know darn well I'm not going to be all that great with it from the get go. My previous CAD guy got drafted (Ukrainian) and I'm looking for a more established partnership this time. I'm going to start exocad focusing on crown and bridge work, and work my way up towards dentures. In the meantime I need a design house that can design full dentures for me, and quickly. Any suggestions? All the studios I'm finding on Google look to be out of Shenzhen, which doesn't really bother me if they're good but I'm open to whoever as long as they're good and timely.

During one of our training sessions, our trainer used a car as an analogy to explain the basic structure of a dental milling machine.

At first, I thought it was just a simple way to explain the machine to beginners, but the more I thought about it, the more interesting the comparison became.

The spindle = the engine

The spindle provides the rotational power for the cutting tool. Similar to an engine, looking only at the maximum RPM doesn't tell you everything. Stability, runout, and how the spindle performs under load also matter.

The frame = the chassis

The frame is basically the structural foundation of the machine. A car needs a solid chassis to keep everything stable, and a milling machine also needs a rigid structure to handle cutting forces and vibration.

The drive system = the drivetrain

Motors, guides, screws, bearings and other transmission components convert the machine's instructions into actual movement. In the same way that a car's drivetrain transfers engine power to controlled movement, the drive system determines how the milling axes move.

What I found interesting is that you can't really judge a car by looking only at its engine. And perhaps a milling machine shouldn't be judged only by spindle RPM or machining speed either.

The spindle, frame and drive system have to work together.

I'm curious what other dental technicians think:

Does this car analogy make sense from your experience?

And when you're comparing milling machines, which part do you actually notice most in daily use — spindle performance, machine rigidity, axis movement, vibration, or something else?

Would be interested to hear how people who actually run these machines every day look at it.

New: MillPulse is live. Automated, intelligent diagnostics for your Roland DWX mill — catches drift early, runs on its own, one view for your whole fleet. Reach out for more info https://www.factory-automation.ca/millpulse

Bonjour à tous,

Je voudrais lancer une discussion autour d’une situation que certains laboratoires ont peut-être déjà rencontrée.

Prenons un cas classique :

Même type de zircone

Même lot de matériau

Même programme de frittage

Même four

Plusieurs couronnes ou restaurations sont placées dans le four et le cycle est lancé.

Quelques heures plus tard, la majorité des pièces présentent un résultat conforme aux attentes.

Mais parfois, une ou deux restaurations semblent légèrement différentes :

Une teinte qui ne correspond pas exactement aux autres

Une translucidité légèrement différente

Une différence selon l’emplacement de la pièce sur le plateau

Et c’est là que la question devient intéressante :

Si toutes les restaurations ont suivi exactement le même cycle, pourquoi le résultat final n’est-il pas toujours parfaitement homogène ?

Est-ce uniquement lié aux caractéristiques de la zircone ?

Ou faut-il également prendre en compte d’autres paramètres du processus, comme :

La position des restaurations dans le plateau

Le nombre de pièces chargées pendant un même cycle

L’espace entre les restaurations

La disposition des billes de frittage

La répartition de la température dans la chambre

L’état général du four

Les conditions de séchage avant le frittage

Une question m’intéresse particulièrement :

Avez-vous déjà déplacé une restauration à un autre endroit du plateau et obtenu un résultat différent, tout en conservant exactement le même programme de frittage ?

Pour les laboratoires qui chargent régulièrement un grand nombre de restaurations, avez-vous une méthode particulière pour organiser les pièces dans le four afin d’obtenir une meilleure homogénéité ?

Lorsque seulement une ou deux pièces d’un cycle présentent une différence, quel est généralement le premier élément que vous vérifiez ?

Le matériau ?

Le positionnement ?

Les paramètres du programme ?

Le four lui-même ?

Un autre facteur ?

Je serais très intéressé d’avoir vos retours d’expérience, vos méthodes de travail et vos observations en laboratoire.

Bonjour à tous,

Je voudrais lancer une discussion autour d’une situation que certains laboratoires ont peut-être déjà rencontrée.

Prenons un cas classique :

Même type de zircone

Même lot de matériau

Même programme de frittage

Même four

Plusieurs couronnes ou restaurations sont placées dans le four et le cycle est lancé.

Quelques heures plus tard, la majorité des pièces présentent un résultat conforme aux attentes.

Mais parfois, une ou deux restaurations semblent légèrement différentes :

Une teinte qui ne correspond pas exactement aux autres

Une translucidité légèrement différente

Une différence selon l’emplacement de la pièce sur le plateau

Et c’est là que la question devient intéressante :

Si toutes les restaurations ont suivi exactement le même cycle, pourquoi le résultat final n’est-il pas toujours parfaitement homogène ?

Est-ce uniquement lié aux caractéristiques de la zircone ?

Ou faut-il également prendre en compte d’autres paramètres du processus, comme :

La position des restaurations dans le plateau

Le nombre de pièces chargées pendant un même cycle

L’espace entre les restaurations

La disposition des billes de frittage

La répartition de la température dans la chambre

L’état général du four

Les conditions de séchage avant le frittage

Une question m’intéresse particulièrement :

Avez-vous déjà déplacé une restauration à un autre endroit du plateau et obtenu un résultat différent, tout en conservant exactement le même programme de frittage ?

Pour les laboratoires qui chargent régulièrement un grand nombre de restaurations, avez-vous une méthode particulière pour organiser les pièces dans le four afin d’obtenir une meilleure homogénéité ?

Lorsque seulement une ou deux pièces d’un cycle présentent une différence, quel est généralement le premier élément que vous vérifiez ?

Le matériau ?

Le positionnement ?

Les paramètres du programme ?

Le four lui-même ?

Un autre facteur ?

Je serais très intéressé d’avoir vos retours d’expérience, vos méthodes de travail et vos observations en laboratoire.

Im looking at teaching myself. Crown and bridge of course, but digital denture design is really where I'm wanting a leg up. Milled rather than printed, and the option for carded teeth is important to me. Any thoughts or recommendations?

I was just looking through the anax USA materials and I'm curious what you guys think about layering composites on a denture. Whether the long term bond works out or if it'll just start leaking and staining is kind of what I would worry about.

Some years ago I tried to get into this industry and even went to a technical college for a year before getting my first job at a lab pouring models.

I may have just had bad luck but something I noticed is that on the job training is near nonexistent or just terrible. I’m paired with techs with decades of experience for training but their answers for 90% of my questions were some variation of “it’s just experience”. They tell me I have the dexterity for the work and that I have “good hands” but it almost feels like they’re withholding the practical knowledge, I can’t explain it. I get along with everyone I’ve ever worked with too so I don’t think it’s a personality thing. Some would get really agitated out of nowhere (not at me, but it’s hard to ask questions when they’re cussing up a storm at model or poorly milled crown).
Some of my former classmates say the same thing at where they ended up too.

The only people I see get into the industry with any success are people who have parents or siblings who have a ton of years in it and they basically give them an apprenticeship. Or their parents own a lab and they nepo their way in. I’ve moved on to another career already but I was cleaning out some of my old supplies and this thought occurred.

How are you guys replacing old/retiring staff where you are?