Any Lab Tips for a Noob Prosthodontist?

[Paul Springs]

Hybrid RPD's (where the major connector is metal, and flexible material is used instead of traditional acrylic) are very popular. We see our fair share of these, especially if a patient had a previous metal RPD. That's where we tend to advise our Docs to use metal RPD's instead of flexible, is if the patient had a traditional metal RPD previously (for some reason, they hate flexibles after having the metal rigidity for awhile.) However, for a new RPD on the mandible, what's the patient compliance on metal RPD's...less than 20% was the last research study I seen. Where a flexible mandible on a new patient compliance is over 80%. Also, no rests needed when using the flexible material, doesn't mean you can't do it, but any half way decent tech will tell you that rests are not needed and overkill. As for tips, for efficiency, are you going to be press packing, cold curing, or injecting (IvoBase/IvoCap),or microwaving your cases in Prosth school, any idea?

No clue. Definitely not cold cure, but I really don't know what processing techniques they're using

 

[Paul Springs]

I'll be honest, the best General Dentists I've seen out there on a continually basis seem to always come from MUSC (Medical University of South Carolina) and UMKC (University of Missouri Kansas City)....and that was because (this may have changed now) they were all required to do almost all their own lab work during dental school. I use to work for some AEGD programs back in the day, and the graduates from those two places flew through that program. Sure, there are plenty of examples of exceptions out there. I mention this comment in a general sense, that doing your own lab work does make a huge difference in real life. Kudos to you if you can make this happen....but beware young Jedi, the magic wand is tough to capture

I tend to agree. In school we basically did everything for fixed up to the waxing stage, and with removable we did everything but processing, but many of us would do some of our own cases for extra experience and requirements. Knowing what those steps entailed allowed me to better work with the end in mind more often. I also watched the cute girls that would flirt with classmates and the in-house techs until they did their work for them continue to make the same mistakes and never improve,

 

[TomZ]

Paul, maybe you haven't seen this one.

Trays, 3 ways...

 

[ztech]

Good luck to you, I think with a basic lab experience you will do fine. I help out at a couple of programs with basic lab programs here in the Southern U.S. and for those who have not had the lab exposure, a Prosthodontic residency is a daunting program to complete. Those who have a small amount of exposure do fine.

 

[denturist-student]

Focus on Clincal and the external labs will follow you...Learn Massad, Turbyfill techniques....Your prosthodontics program should offer a lot of information and you may be trying to learn some prematurely...Follow their protocols accurately... and adapt your appliances to ridge shape and class of occlusion...But really delve into the clinical aspect for your patients...Remember that with removeables the bite can be easily compromised. Prosthodontics will evolve with you to incorporate implants and crowns and bridges as well. When you got into dentistry you learned that learning was a lifelong venture...most of all don't try any shortcuts...