Interested in advice of opening my own removables lab.

rkm rdt

rkm rdt

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Im not an rda nor a cdt i did do dental assistant for 2 years before i went into lab work. Ive been a dental tech for about 11 years now and ive done dentures and stayplates and never gotten complaints. Adjustments..sure but always happy when im all done with their product. I get referrals from them too and same response. Yes i know how to take impressions
Good luck
 
CoolHandLuke

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Where the **** is the art in that? The passion? Call me old fashion or a dinosaur, but theres nothing like a "bespoke" denture in my opinion. After all going digital only goes as far as prints. And will Need and depend on a "dinosaur" to complete and make look imaculate. What about chairside adjustments? Those are always inevidable even if its digital. So no thank you. I didnt learn to do it the right way all these years just to let a machine do the most critical steps for me. I acknowledge your perspective but you seriously think dentists wanna buy expensive scanners and let alone have the time want to learn how to use them? Also i can do 3 or 4 times more work by hand than waiting for a scanned print. I take pride in my skills and wont let it fade or get taken away by a digital market.
o3s2lq4i8q761.gif


what part of traditional dentures was Bespoke? was it the custom fit, or the uniformly made teeth that anyone can buy in bulk?

digital dentures can have custom shaped teeth for every case, with custom fit - arguably even more bespoke than a classically made denture.

i think you just haven't seen the right demo to make this environment "click" in your head to the reasons it is better, faster, and growing all the time.
 
rkm rdt

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what part of traditional dentures was Bespoke? was it the custom fit, or the uniformly made teeth that anyone can buy in bulk?

digital dentures can have custom shaped teeth for every case, with custom fit - arguably even more bespoke than a classically made denture.

i think you just haven't seen the right demo to make this environment "click" in your head to the reasons it is better, faster, and growing all the time.
Nothing Sweeter than that sound the patient makes as the clump of alginate slowly makes its way down their throat.
 
JMN

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Where the **** is the art in that? The passion? Call me old fashion or a dinosaur, but theres nothing like a "bespoke" denture in my opinion. After all going digital only goes as far as prints. And will Need and depend on a "dinosaur" to complete and make look imaculate. What about chairside adjustments? Those are always inevidable even if its digital. So no thank you. I didnt learn to do it the right way all these years just to let a machine do the most critical steps for me. I acknowledge your perspective but you seriously think dentists wanna buy expensive scanners and let alone have the time want to learn how to use them? Also i can do 3 or 4 times more work by hand than waiting for a scanned print. I take pride in my skills and wont let it fade or get taken away by a digital market.
Your arguments are the same that could have been said when we put the vulcanizers out to pasture.

Using different tools and different materials does nothing to remove the art or the craft. In fact it makes you more adept to have a bigger toolbox of options to use as needed for each individual's situation.

Digital is not about letting the computer do all the work in our industry any more than an accountant just puts feet on the desk since they no longer use a ledger book, hand written invoices, and US mail for each account but use excel, email, and Quicken.

Digital will free you from the physical presence requirement. Scans don't need UPS boxes or delivery drivers.
Digital will allow you to preview changes before you commit to them as a wax try in. How many times have you had to 'reshade' or move a midline?

I'm not the oldest here by a long shot, nor the most trained by even a longer shot, but I can make things that are no longer needed as digitial options are now reducing those needs. When was the last time any of us handmade a telescopic RPD frame, copings, and all the rest of a full mouth reconstruction making PFM crowns and bridges for what was not on the RPD.
For me? 2012ish.

Why? It's not worth your time to do it that way anymore. You can disagree if you can get people to pay your rates, but you'll soon be looking for clients as the older docs who know that tech and not the new tech retire.

I really want you to succeed, and my input here on your thread has been poor at best. I will be back.
Right now I have the Amazing Mrs feeling like watching a movie and playing Scrabble. And she's just entirely too cute for color tv.
 
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Quality and digital now these days do not go together. All digital manufacturer call their printed dentures Temp or Economy dentures. The reason all is trying to go digital because there is not a whole lot of denture techs in the market. Average age for a removable tech is 59 to 50. To pay these people or would be min of $25 to $30/hr. Quality digital denture is at least 4 to 5 years down the road. Plus spending between $20k and 40k in equipments. For milling denture you have to spend about $80k and it will not be inexpensive denture by the time you put t

Your arguments are the same that could have been said when we put the vulcanizers out to pasture.

Using different tools and different materials does nothing to remove the art or the craft. In fact it makes you more adept to have a bigger toolbox of options to use as needed for each individual's situation.

Digital is not about letting the computer do all the work in our industry any more than an accountant just puts feet on the desk since they no longer use a ledger book, hand written invoices, and US mail for each account but use excel, email, and Quicken.

Digital will free you from the physical presence requirement. Scans don't need UPS boxes or delivery drivers.
Digital will allow you to preview changes before you commit to them as a wax try in. How many times have you had to 'reshade' or move a midline?

I'm not the oldest here by a long shot, nor the most trained by even a longer shot, but I can make things that are no longer needed as digitial options are now reducing those needs. When was the last time any of us handmade a telescopic RPD frame, copings, and all the rest of a full mouth reconstruction making PFM crowns and bridges for what was not on the RPD.
For me? 2012ish.

Why? It's not worth your time to do it that way anymore. You can disagree if you can get people to pay your rates, but you'll soon be looking for clients as the older docs who know that tech and not the new tech retire.

I really want you to succeed, and my input here on your thread has been poor at best. I will be back.
Right now I have the Amazing Mrs feeling like watching a movie and playing Scrabble. And she's just entirely too cute for color tv.
I honestly must say you intrigued my interest into looking into it.. in all honesty i never gave it a shot and looked at it as an old folk and im only 33. I will keep an open mind but the perspective i have is to help people who cant afford what doctors charge but that will result in me becoming a denturist in order to do it legaly and here in california you cant become a denturist.
 
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o3s2lq4i8q761.gif


what part of traditional dentures was Bespoke? was it the custom fit, or the uniformly made teeth that anyone can buy in bulk?

digital dentures can have custom shaped teeth for every case, with custom fit - arguably even more bespoke than a classically made denture.

i think you just haven't seen the right demo to make this environment "click" in your head to the reasons it is better, faster, and growing all the time.
You can modify any bulk teeth u want to as long as you know what you are doing and know how to finnese your way around. "Bespoke" as in youre there in person fitting everything and dping the fitting yourself.. and perhaps you are right, i probably havent had the right demo and i can see your ppint on more bespoke than premolded teeth considering you can play with the cusps etc but that doesnt stop me from finessing a premolded tooth into its own. Given that u can only grind so much before you expose layers but that goes along with mold selection so you know how much finnese room you have. But ill take your advice and look into it. Thank you
 
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Recon, with your limited experience and you also have chairside experience which makes a difference, you have a lot more to learn. I see you just joined DLN this month which seems strange with someone with 11 years in the lab. I'm a member on about 10 dental forums, receive lots of trade magazines, spent thousands + on courses and books, still reaching out to learn more from others weekly, and try to help other techs and dentist when I can. I have 47 years of experience if including 2 years in lab school, 20 yrs of that was inhouse lab setting, and I'm still learning. Please don't bury your head to technology which is the way I'm interpreting your words. Maybe I'm misunderstanding your thoughts ? I'm assuming your using injecting technology for your dentures, not that it matters in this conversation. Just last night I was posting on a dental forum to dentist that Cad/Cam doesn't do all the work, it takes a lot of experience, a lot of training, and skill to make restorations using cad/cam, its just another tool in our growing toolbox.
I know denture techs that charge $1200. full set, and say there not ready to jump on digital dentures yet, but know its coming and are keeping up with the latest technology. Not being a denture tech I've heard techs and dentist talk positive and negative about digital dentures. 1. They fit better, less adjustments to no adjustments. 2. Called temp dentures. 3. Said the extra work to make a digital dentures look nice makes it not profitable. 4. To expensive to buy equipment, milling times to time consuming if milled or printed. 5. Separation of materials. 6. Today I had a doctor tell me digital dentures cost him more and didn't look as good. As someone who closely watched all ceramic materials evolve I see digital dentures becoming the norm and happening fast once all the flaws are solved in materials and techniques.
If I were younger I would jump all over digital dentures and specialize in them as the technology grows alone with hybrids/implants... that's where the money is and few labs can do them well.

My $.02 from a non-denture tech who loves technology... :) actually I made a few dentures and cast partial dentures in lab school.. Ciao
 
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Inna-Hurry

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o3s2lq4i8q761.gif


what part of traditional dentures was Bespoke? was it the custom fit, or the uniformly made teeth that anyone can buy in bulk?

digital dentures can have custom shaped teeth for every case, with custom fit - arguably even more bespoke than a classically made denture.

i think you just haven't seen the right demo to make this environment "click" in your head to the reasons it is better, faster, and growing all the time.
SHOW ME THE DEMO PLEASE!!!
 
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Inna-Hurry

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You can modify any bulk teeth u want to as long as you know what you are doing and know how to finnese your way around. "Bespoke" as in youre there in person fitting everything and dping the fitting yourself.. and perhaps you are right, i probably havent had the right demo and i can see your ppint on more bespoke than premolded teeth considering you can play with the cusps etc but that doesnt stop me from finessing a premolded tooth into its own. Given that u can only grind so much before you expose layers but that goes along with mold selection so you know how much finnese room you have. But ill take your advice and look into it. Thank you
You may have never been told it's just a denture... A piece of plastic with plastic teeth.
Most patients don't even know how many teeth they have... and to analyze a complete setup-- tooth by tooth??? Nah.
That's a person with a drawer full of dentures... You are their entertainment.
This is just a job. Never gonna make everyone happy... why try?
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT..... THE PATIENT MAY KNOW... But to properly communicate it to the tech???? THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO GO DIGITAL haha..
If the patient likes the look they will learn how to use them.
Successful dentures are 25% mechanics and 75% Psychology lol...
Add two Locators on each arch with a cast strengthener and BAM. Happy happy.
 
evanosu

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So im a removables tech and have been for 10 years and a dental assistant for 2 years prior to becoming a tech. Just wanted some advice if its time for me to do so. I want to make more money and i average about 43k a year and im in southern california. I plan on having a strictly removables only lab as many doctors have trouble finding a good lab to get dentures from my idea is to have a lab and eventually if i grow enough to employ people it will be a team of highly skilled and overqualified techs specializing in notjing but removables. Anyway what would i need? A regular business lic? Or is it a specific lic because its a lab? Thanks for the read and appreciate all suggestions and help. Have a great day.
This is a great question and it depends on what type of lab you want to be. Know your area/market....will they pay high $ for quality dentures or is there a lot of Medicaid/Gov't assistance. That helps you determine what you want to do. If you can't charge a lot, doesn't make sense to print dentures or even invest. I'd press pack and/or outsource some items to save on costs. If you can charge $400+ arch, then go Ivobase from Ivoclar and keep an eye on digital dentures. Get some fee schedules from labs in your area too, see what they charge just to get a feel for what's common. Definitely incorporate your business to avoid personal liability, lawyers to do that and register with your state are probably inexpensive.

Frames: Once you get setup, would love to help you with quality frameworks at an affordable price! $69 standard; $89 Vitallium.
 
rkm rdt

rkm rdt

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This is a great question and it depends on what type of lab you want to be. Know your area/market....will they pay high $ for quality dentures or is there a lot of Medicaid/Gov't assistance. That helps you determine what you want to do. If you can't charge a lot, doesn't make sense to print dentures or even invest. I'd press pack and/or outsource some items to save on costs. If you can charge $400+ arch, then go Ivobase from Ivoclar and keep an eye on digital dentures. Get some fee schedules from labs in your area too, see what they charge just to get a feel for what's common. Definitely incorporate your business to avoid personal liability, lawyers to do that and register with your state are probably inexpensive.

Frames: Once you get setup, would love to help you with quality frameworks at an affordable price! $69 standard; $89 Vitallium.
Can you make a frame from an ios?
 
evanosu

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Can you make a frame from an ios?
Yes, the only thing is that we would have to print upper and lower models. Usually we charge $20 per arch for printed models which isn't too bad if you think about time savings and the cost to pour models. We're still doing frames old school with casting, just getting better results than SLM etc. Any interest or if you want more information, feel free to email me: [email protected]
 
rkm rdt

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Yes, the only thing is that we would have to print upper and lower models. Usually we charge $20 per arch for printed models which isn't too bad if you think about time savings and the cost to pour models. We're still doing frames old school with casting, just getting better results than SLM etc. Any interest or if you want more information, feel free to email me: [email protected]
Thanks for the offer . I need someone on this side of the border for logistics.

The point is you can receive a scan and do something with it. Once you have a printed model it your choice how to make the denture.
If you can't receive a scan your future will be limited.
 
evanosu

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Thanks for the offer . I need someone on this side of the border for logistics.

The point is you can receive a scan and do something with it. Once you have a printed model it your choice how to make the denture.
If you can't receive a scan your future will be limited.
yeah no issues receiving scans, I can accept any STL scan and directly receive scans from every manufacturer but 3Shape. I need 6-8 days to fabricate a metal frame in-lab.
 
rkm rdt

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yeah no issues receiving scans, I can accept any STL scan and directly receive scans from every manufacturer but 3Shape. I need 6-8 days to fabricate a metal frame in-lab.
Apparently you are in the minority . It seems most denture labs don't believe digital impresssions will be part of the future.
 
evanosu

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Apparently you are in the minority . It seems most denture labs don't believe digital impresssions will be part of the future.
Pretty crazy! Digital dentures within 5 years will be standard. Process is still too expensive versus traditional and I'm not seeing anything showing that digital is really that much improved on a clinical side. But if we can reduce denture appointments with the doctors, that will be worth them paying more. Should be interesting. Our lab is here if you or anyone needs anything, we do fixed too.
 
JMN

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Apparently you are in the minority . It seems most denture labs don't believe digital impresssions will be part of the future.
I am one that believes they must play a part. The lack of knowledge clinical knowledge will allow them to be appliance operators.
 
rkm rdt

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My digital denture is a printed model and sintered frame ,that's it.
Everything else is analog at this point. It's fun to do removable again.
 
JKraver

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Personally I am waiting on digital dentures. Without a mill I don't have the work flow. Ivolcars system is the best imo, also probably the priciest. Personally I prefer carded teeth. High end teeth like Phonares 2 cannot be matched by a milled acrylic material yet.
 

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