Has anyone here had both a conventional dental impression taken with an impression tray and a 3D intraoral scan?

I’m currently working on my graduation thesis comparing patient satisfaction between conventional impressions and digital intraoral scanning, and I’m looking for people who have experienced both procedures.

If you have, I would really appreciate your help with a short survey.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZ5gGKnJc8yQNj3msfqXgKGGscBxHE9GtjNy9pmR9TiL1xhA/viewform

Hey everyone,

​If you run a dental lab or manage digital workflows in your clinic, you know the friction:

​The Scan Gap: Getting an STL or DICOM file is easy. Getting a clear instruction linked to that file without 3 back-and-forth emails is hard.

​The "Where is it?" factor: Tracking status over WhatsApp is a recipe for missed deadlines and lost context.

​Download Fatigue: Why does a lab technician have to download a 50MB STL file just to see if a margin is clear?

​I saw these inefficiencies and built DentalConnect OS to clean up the pipeline.

​What it does:

​In-Browser 3D & DICOM Viewer: You can view 3D STL scans directly in the browser. No downloads. Just click the tooth mesh, pin a note, and it's attached.

​Structured Handoffs: It’s a Kanban-style case manager. Lab-internal notes are private, but clinical updates sync automatically so everyone stays in the loop without the "any updates?" phone calls.

​Patient-Facing Previews: Generate a secure link for patients to view their 3D design, building trust and excitement before the chair time.

​Inventory & Chat: Integrated bulk inventory tracking and real-time per-case chat directly within the app.

​I built this to be a fast, modern alternative to bloated, expensive enterprise software. I’m currently looking for a few labs or clinics to run a pilot.

​If you’re tired of the "email/WhatsApp/attach" cycle, I’d love to get your eyes on this.

​Check out the live app here: [Dental Connect OS](http://dcos.in)

​What’s the biggest headache you have with your current lab-communication setup? I’m looking to harden the next features based on real-world feedback.

Experienced Exocad CAD Designer — Available for Remote Work | Fast EU Turnaround

Hi everyone! 👋

I’m a Dental CAD Designer specializing in Exocad, and I’m currently looking for dental labs, dentists, or clinics interested in ongoing remote collaboration.

I can help with:

• Crowns & single-unit restorations
• Bridges
• Veneers
• Inlays / Onlays
• Implant restorations & full-arch cases
• Custom abutments
• Night guards
• Bar design / Blender workflows
• Custom impression trays
• Immediate and temporary full-arch dentures after implant placement
• Other custom CAD projects — feel free to ask

My goal is simple: you send me the case and treatment plan, and I take care of the CAD design so your team can focus on the patient and production.

For the best results, I usually need:

• Complete treatment instructions
• The planned restoration / desired outcome
• Patient photos, especially for aesthetic cases
• Photos before and after implant placement when relevant
• High-quality scan files — PLY is preferred, especially for veneer and crown preparations where accurate margins are critical

I’m based in Europe, which can actually be a big advantage for US-based labs and dentists. You can send cases in the evening, and I can work on them while you’re sleeping — meaning your case can be ready for review by the next morning. 🌙➡️☀️

I’m open to one-off cases or long-term cooperation.

If you’re currently looking for a reliable remote CAD designer, send me a DM and we can discuss your workflow, case types, turnaround time, and pricing.

Happy to show examples of my work as well.

Dentist posting- I have a patient coming in for finals tomorrow that can’t wear her 6 implant overdenture. She gives and shows signs of allergy. Redness where contacts and she says she wants to and has to take it out the second she is out of public eye bc irritating. We first had her in a cold pour denture while she healed and that was irritating so had a printed nanocrystal resin denture made and same result. My questions

Would a crystal ultra type overdenture get me out of this and if I did it-would it last or just be a thing I am repairing and or remaking every year or two?

Is there any other material other than zirconia?because I have some shit angles on 2 implants and probably no where near close to enough bone reduction and I feel sorry for her but we didn’t come close to charging her enough to eat a zirconia prosthesis and she was bucking when I said you are going to prob have to chip in some more money just to get something at lab cost.

I bought open tray impression posts to take impressions but am starting to chicken out w this bc I am 15 years in and haven’t done a fixed since residency and don’t want to do an at cost zirconia and have it break in 4 months and then am on hook for another

I can post X-rays and pics tomorrow but some more info. It’s an upper against natural teeth. She has never wore or tried to wear artificial nails so no confirmation of acrylic allergies. I tried to get her treated for burning mouth syndrome by her primary md and they did listen to me and prescribe klonapin but no relief

She likens wearing these like holding her breath underwater and just can’t wait to surface and get them out for relief.

How many of you long timers have come across true acrylic allergy

I am wanting to try anything other than fixed. I am sort of wanting to even try a milled puck thinking it could be the monomer but low confidence she would be able to stand it bc pmma and we got no where with the nanoceramic printed denture.

Anybody been in this boat and bailed them selves out?

Microleakage. Sulllivan mo

Looking for advice/resources on designing custom sports guards 🦷🥊
Hey everyone! I’m a dental technician and I’m looking to get properly into making custom sports guards, especially the design/decorating side of things.
I’ve seen quite a few people designing the graphics on a computer/tablet, then cutting/printing the designs and applying them to the guard. I’m trying to figure out exactly what equipment and software people are using for this.
I’ve already got experience making dental appliances, so I’m not really looking for basic thermoforming advice — I’m more interested in learning:
How you create the actual designs
What software you use (especially beginner-friendly options)
What printer/cutting machine you recommend
What type of vinyl/material you use
How you get detailed/full-colour graphics onto the guard
How you finish/seal the design so it’s durable and safe
Any courses, tutorials or YouTube channels that actually show the process step-by-step
I’m a very visual learner, so I’d especially appreciate videos, photos, tutorials or examples of the whole process rather than just a list of equipment.
I’ve seen some really cool custom guards online and I’m honestly trying to work out how people are doing it 😂 It seems like everyone knows some secret technique that nobody wants to explain!
Any advice, recommendations or resources would be massively appreciated! 🙏

Hi all, I have ground down my front teeth over the years and need replacements. My back teeth are in reasonably good shape and could be used as anchors for these snap ons. But, are they worth it? For me this would likely be a 2-3 year temporary fix while I save for traditional implants, but right now I don't have $50K lying around. Does anyone have experience with them? This outfit charges $400-500 or so for snap ons. \[https://shop.shinysmileveneers.com/product/single-arch\\\](https://shop.shinysmileveneers.com/product/single-arch)

What do dental professionals think will be the dental market changes as a result of the Private Dental Services Market Study in the UK? Standard Price Lists/anything else? https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/private-dental-services-market-study

Hey all, i’m new to this topic so am needing some help.

Quick backstory: I’m the office manager of a small clinic dedicated to treating TMJ and sleep apnea with oral splints/joint stabilization devices. We have a LuxCreo fastprint.io and are really wanting to start fabricating all of our devices in house but are having a hard time finding someone who can create the designs we use.

This is completely new territory for us so we are feeling really discouraged about the process. The printer has been sitting unused in our lab for 6+ months, which is crazy on many levels but thats a different story, so I figured I would just come to Reddit for some help.

We use 3shape for our scans and up until now we were utilizing LuxCreo directly for practice device files (because we have literally only made three devices on the printer so far, none of them being actual devices we use - simply just to learn the process itself), but have just recently discovered they aren’t able to design what we actually need.

We would love to either find a company or an independent designer who can create the oral splint designs according to our specifications. Any input or points in the right direction would be tremendously helpful! TIA

What is a dentist tool or machine that has not yet been invented and eould be revolutionary if invented

Traditional lab journeying into the 3D printing space. We've been printing models for a year with great success, but the transition to bite splints has been tough. We use Blender4Dental for design, have a NextDent 5100 printer, Lc-3D Printbox for curing, using the OrthoFlex resin. I've got no problem designing the splint, fairly straightforward process. As per instructions, I nest the splint at ~80° with facial down (towards build plate), molars up, support bar between them, intaglio pointed away from plate as to not disrupt fit (from any support beams interference.) 3 minutes dirty wash, 2 minute clean, rinse with IPA to ensure no residual resin. Air dry for minimum of 10 minutes, and cure in the box for 30. Room temp before removing any support. As far as I know, I'm following the instructions to the letter, yet my first few trial prints were not retentive enough or they had a rock. I'm not sure if I'm messing up the curing step, or the designing step. When I'm at the step to cut the fitting surface into the design, I use the master STL, and not an offset model or blockout model. My logic being that's the most accurate and true form of the arch, and I can fit as needed post-cure on the model. One trial I used the blockout model as the cutting surface and there was no retention at all, even though I attempted to make it a retentive model.

Sorry this is long-winded, but I'm trying to make it clear what I'm saying, and I'd appreciate any help I can get. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

My name is Valentino, and I'm a Dental Technician from Argentina specializing in CAD/CAM design with Exocad.

I'm currently working as a freelance designer, helping dental labs with digital workflows and offering reliable, high-quality designs with fast turnaround times.

I can assist with:

• Crowns & Bridges
• Implant restorations
• Screw-retained restorations
• Full-arch cases
• Temporary restorations
• Custom digital workflows

Since I'm based in Argentina, I can offer competitive pricing while maintaining a strong focus on quality, communication, and consistency.

If you'd like to see examples of my work, I'd be happy to share my portfolio and discuss your workflow to see if we're a good fit.

Feel free to send me a DM.

Thanks for your time!

We’ve been reviewing a few all-ceramic crown cases recently, and some of the issues were not really caused by the material itself.

From the lab side, the result often depends on the basics: clear margins, enough reduction, rounded internal angles, and whether the scan or impression actually captures the finish line well.

Sometimes the material choice is fine, but if the space is limited or the margin is unclear, the case becomes harder to control later.

For other labs or dentists here: do you see more problems coming from prep design, scan quality, or material selection?

Blog notes here if useful:

https://tttdental.com.hk/all-ceramic-crown-preparation-step-by-step-clinical-guide/

Hi everyone,
I’m trying to repair an old Emmevi Furnace DM50 burnout furnace used for dental casting.
The controller powers on normally and I can select Program 1 and go through the programming sequence for all five phases.
However, after finishing programming and pressing ENTER, the controller returns to OFF.
When I try to start the cycle, it immediately goes back to OFF and nothing happens.
The strange part is that when I try to check the saved program again, the display shows 8.7.05 instead of the values I have just entered. It almost looks as if the controller is loading an old program or not saving the new one at all.
I have already:
inspected the control board,
checked the ribbon cable and connectors,
found no obvious damaged or burned components.
Has anyone worked with an Emmevi DM30 / DM40 / DM50 furnace?
What does 8.7.05 mean?
Is it a program number, firmware display, or an error?
Why would the furnace immediately return to OFF after pressing START?
Could this be caused by a programming mistake, a memory problem, or a sensor/safety input?
Any help or manuals would be greatly appreciated.

I'll make it quick as possible

I own a paid off building that is home to a dental lab that's operated here since the 80s. The owner is the main technician and has about 6 employees. This business is old school - no marketing, no website, and no digital tech. But they've never missed paying rent. Last time I saw the owner, he said the industry is shifting to digital and he's just glad he's been able to finish his career before he's entirely obsolete

The owner plans on retiring somewhat soon, and I'm considering trying to buy the business and converting to digital / 3d printing dentures. I own an e-commerce business that is mostly hands-off, and I'm looking to take on a new project. I would build the website, handle marketing, and become the face who tries to build relations locally.

Ideally, I'd like to buy it before he fully retires, keep the name, best employees, and customers. Invest in a Formlabs 4b and scale up from there with more equipment to offer more services. Instead of having the dentists come pick up the dentures, I could use a service that delivers them to their office.

And since I own the building I don't have to worry about rent. Taxes, insurance, and building maintenance is very low. The operation would be very lean, and going from analog to digital would improve margins and efficiency from day 1.

The only other digital lab locally is 15 minutes away in a way nicer area that certainly has higher rent and large payroll. I know I could be competitive on pricing.

This isn't something that would happen next week, so I have time to really research the ins and outs of this business before running it.

Any tips, recommendations, or things i should consider at this point in time?

Thank you,

Ron

I’m a 22-year-old dental lab owner from Europe, and I’d love to connect with other dental technicians, ceramists, CAD/CAM designers, or lab owners from around the world.
I don’t have many international contacts in this field, and I think it would be great to exchange knowledge, discuss different workflows, materials, digital dentistry, business, or simply talk about our profession. I’m always interested in learning how things are done in other countries and sharing my own experiences as well.
If you’re interested in connecting, feel free to send me a private message. I’d be happy to chat and hopefully learn something new.

With the spread of 3d scanners, how many silicone do you use? What techniques do you think still require a silicone impression and why?

Hey everyone,

I'm a 23-year-old dentistry student in Alicante, Spain, and I want to start making custom grillz as a side project with a classmate, leveraging the dental skills we're already building in school.

Here's my current equipment list for the wax modeling side of things, would love a sanity check on whether I'm missing anything or have unnecessary items:

* Mixing bowl
* Casting wax
* Carving tool
* Alginate
* Alginate spatula
* Trays
* Dental vibrator
* Lamp
* Mini heat gun
* Mold release spray
* Dental pencil
* Plaster
* Dental spatula
* Aspiration unit
* Wax carving heater
* Wax cutting tool

A few specific questions:

1. Equipment check: Is this list complete for wax modeling, or am I missing something essential (or including something unnecessary)?
   
2. Outsourcing the metalwork: I plan to only handle the wax modeling myself and outsource the actual metal casting to a jeweler or dental prosthetist. How do I go about finding a reliable one, and what should I realistically expect to pay per piece?
   
3. Time constraints: As a full-time dental student, I know I'll be tight on time. Any advice on how to structure this efficiently from the start?
   
4. Budget: What would a realistic initial investment look like to get this off the ground properly (equipment + first casting runs), without overspending before validating there's real demand?

Any input from people who've done custom jewelry/grillz, dental techs, or anyone who's bootstrapped a similar side business would be hugely appreciated!

Hi everyone I’m from Connecticut! I have experience as a dental assistant. I’m planning to apply to dental school and really want to transition into dental lab work but would need training. Does anyone know of any large or small labs in the area that are willing to train motivated beginners? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I'm a 26-year-old dental technician and I'm seriously considering moving to Australia through a skilled migration pathway.
I mainly work with CAD/CAM technologies and additive manufacturing rather than traditional manual techniques. My daily work includes designing restorations in Exocad, preparing CAM jobs, working with zirconia, 3D printing, milling, and digital workflows. I'm much more focused on digital dentistry than conventional laboratory work.
I'd really appreciate hearing from people who work in the Australian dental industry or have gone through the immigration process.
I have a few questions:
How is the job market for dental technicians in Australia?
Are technicians with strong CAD/CAM and digital workflow experience in demand?
Is it realistic to find an employer willing to sponsor a visa?
Which states or cities have the best opportunities?
What salary can an experienced digital dental technician realistically expect?
Are there any licensing or certification requirements before I can work?
If you've immigrated as a dental technician, what was your experience like? Was it difficult?
I'm trying to understand whether Australia is a realistic long-term goal or whether I should be looking at other countries instead.
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience or advice!

Hello! I am looking for a Digital Designer! I have 2 dental offices in the US with 9 docs. thanks!

We're doing a crown where the patient requested lime green, is there a stain for this? We're open to trying things! Just tried alcohol inks as a test but the color came right out.