Hi all,
Getting ready to open the doors to my own set up. I keep sitting here thinking, flipping through catalogs, window shopping online, just wanted some input as to what else I could be missing. (Excitment and nerves have me second guessing all the equipment and materials I have)
I have my equipment and materials for set ups(all electric, no gas) , processing (pack processing) finishing, repairs and relines.
Just looking for any input!
-also open to any diy ideas I may not have thought of!
Okay, last year a person came by looking to start a non-profit lab, this is the list I supplied to them as a starting point.
20oz Hammer - Tool of last resort
Steel Acrylic Spatula
Small cement spatula, sq on one end, pointed other
White “takedown” lathe wheel for serious acrylic reduction
BuffStone 50lb
Cold cure Reline/Repair acrylic set (I like PERM by Coltene)
#25 Scalpel blade handle
#25 Scalpel blades (Halvel Brand is CHEAPEST 100pcs)
Lathe spiral chuck
Buff wheels/ Rag wheels size modifies price
Condensation putty( Schein brand is cheapest, Excel by St.George and PalaPutty are great)
Plaster Spatula-Narrow
Plaster Spatula-Wide
(Don't go cheap on these, they bend and will not stir large mixes)
Plaster Bowls (at least 2 per stone, and 1 huge one, one tiny one)
White Lab Plaster 50lb
Vaseline 1lb x2
Shot glasses for acryilic mixing (come in 3packs)
Robinson Brushes(144/box(a “gross”) is about $1/ea)
Benchlathe splatter shield-I use a Vaniman suction sheild with a casepan holding the pumice for easy pumice changeout)
Moldent acrylic polishing compound “Rouge”
Pumice (This really is tech choice, technique matters)
white lathe quick reduction wheel
Mandrels for all handpiece wheels
Mandrels for all Lathe wheels if using a Quick Chuck lathe
Tooth Storage cabinet (if you buy enough teeth, these are “free”)
Stone Storage (Wheeled air tight 25lb dog food storage container holds 50lbs stone)
Gloves
Brass Articulators (in a pinch these can, with the set screw on back, used to reline Mand rpds)
Toothbrushes for cleaning
Wrought Wire ( I use .032 ball clasps for everything, the end doesn't bite the pt that way) 100/pk
Calipers – blunt for wax
Calipers – pointy for acrylic and metal
Boley gauge (a different type of calliper, this one slides and stays put instead of springback)
Magnifier Lamps with the bulb in back to give a sense of depth from single source shadows
….......These are usually $300 ish! Check out American Science and Surplus for a better deal ($30ish) using normal bulbs
Burrs will be a Tech Specific thing. Don't buy any until you have the tech.
…...Different material require different burrs, and they CANNOT be used between materials or they will cross contaminate and can destroy a crown.
Mandrels for all handpiece wheels
Case pans ( not cheap anymore.... $5/pan)
Hot Glue gun, glue sticks (for holding models in the bite while plastering to the articulator)
90% Alcohol.......Get it at Walmart! $2/ qt VS $75 special ordered
Alcohol torch(tech specific, either a $10 buffalo plastic squeeze botttle or a $200 Hanau torch)
B-20 wheels for lathe polishing
Acrylic Mixing vessels, Shot glasses for cold cure (above) and Jelly Jars for Heat cure (needs a lid)
Billing Setup/Program
…...I use a free invoicing program I'll include in the event it does enough for you. It's good, but minimalist.
GOOD stapler
3-hole punch
Power Distribution Concerns
Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) for PCs
Delivery system (bags, boxes, etc)
Prescriptions
Glad Brand Zip bags, Quart size are wonderful for Removable Prosthetic transit storage for delivery.
Log Books for Incoming, Shipping, Outgoing, Etc.
Order Book
Filing System and Location for Filled Prescriptions (8 years of retention here because it's a script, Tax regs have their own needs)
#10 Envelopes
Paper Cutter (handy!)
Post it notes (great for date marking and Case # on work pans in add ition to script so you don't have to unfurl the script to see everything.)
Phone System(s)
Business cards
Teeth (Doctor and Tech agreeing on a brand is best if possible, but by law this can be a Dr's call on the Script, but techs see more denture teeth...)
Bunsen Burner(s) & Propane tanks for grills work great with copper pipe to 1-4 stations up against each other
Bunsen burner option: Wall Lenk Torch
Gas for Wall Lenk Torch
White Lab Plaster 50lb
Base formers with slot in back for plastic glue on hinge articulators
Wax tools, 2 sets minimum. 1 for flaming, one for non-flaming. Tech may have their own. We get attached to them. Very attached.
Pressure Pot for cold cure acrylics
…........I am cheap and very careful about what I do, this will open you to liability issues if someone gets stupid and dangerous!
…........I got a pressure cooker from Walmart, a 2pk of tire stems from Automotive and took out the pressure knob and drilled out that
…........hole to the tire stem's directions. I use a bicycle pump with a pressure gauge to pump it since it has no gauge.
…........This cost less than $75 total VS $400 for a “dental pressure pot” and it will blow it's safety valve at about 32lbs pressure (Fig 2,3)
Various paintbrush/brush sizes for Vaseline application, Brush method of acrylic adding.
Tooth Mould charts for all brands you will be wanting to use. Get 2 for the lab and one for each operatory.
Bench lathe
OR Bench lathe with QuickChuck
dappan Dishes
Wax pot
Electric Wax knife (tech choice, the shapes of the heated tips are not universal and technique to tip matters)
(The above two can be found in the same unit frequently)
Baseplate Wax (tech choice) can be very expensive or very cheap.
Shade Guides differ greatly, Vita Classic A1 is not the same on all systems. Get one for each system.
Denture teeth (1 per brand you plan to offer)
Porcelain system (1 per system)
Wax Carvers(tech may have these, attachment issues again)
Email account/system
Cleaning system (Sonicator/ultrasonic cleaner)
Steamer -very handy, but not allway needed – Implants require it!!
Timers. Count up and Count down. One per bench/area. Times setting of stone, acrylic precure bench set, many many things.
Fire extinguishers, plural. One in the back of every room to get out the door, one near any flame or heat device.
Wrought Wire Pliers ( many styles, tech choice. Ususally 3 different kinds, 1 each) Check craft stores' jewlery section too. ($60-300)
Cut off discs for Handpiece
Rubber points, and mandrels/holder for them (polishing)
Shop towels you don't mind throwing away, Don't get too nice or too ratty.
Clipboard or 3
Popsicle sticks – go with hot glue gun process get a 1000 box
rope wax Hard
rope wax soft
lab knives
Plaster nipper
Vibrator(s)
Surveyor for RPD designing
Super Glue, LOTS of super glue – the cheap stuff from walmart (black and yellow)
Articulating marking paper.
Model duplication flasks & Reversible Hydrocolloid (like Dupli-coe-loid)
Hydrocolloid duplication machine OR Microwave
Sticky Wax
DVA's APS separator
Lang Denture Duplication flask
Tooth shade acrylic
Air chisel
Walnut shell blaster
Sand blaster
Boil Out tank (frydaddy) or Microwave
Heat gun, or a 1875Watt new hair dryer with a small opening – Can use less flame and is needed for acetyl (flexible) clasps
Benches/computer desks
Task Lights – Ottlights
Blue Dolphin bite rim former OR sheetrock 6" putty knife
Light Cure oven and Material
Vaccum system, especially with walnut and sand blasters, need to be individual to some degree.
Office Software – Download OpenOffice.Org It is free
Printer – Check with the local office equip places, tell them what you're doing and see if they have a ugly duckling. Keep Toner and Paper in mind for costs. Inkjet is a no-no It'll Kill You.
Plater trap(s) ideally under each sink and at the main sewer hookup. If you plan well you may be able to keep all the water in one place and 1 trap
Plaster trap bags for metal types, plaster trap refills for Tiger Plastics 5 gal bucket style- these are Much Nicer, just put a lid on it and you're done
*******The below assume that you will be press packing dentures into flasks for processing. There are other ways of doing this and all the below could be useless for you.
Curing tank (easily expensive- I use an electric canner, Keystone sells the exact same thing I use for $300 more with a different sticker) May need special hookups
Heat Cure acrylic Powder and Liquid
…....Diamond D is quite the rage right now for those who press pack into flasks, if you're making a lot of dentures, go for the 5lb kit
Brass Denture flasks (upper and lower are different, one set of flasks for each denture set per ½ week is a good rule)
Flask Spring compress ( flasks go into these while curing and stay there till done 1 per 2 sets of flasks at least)
Flask press ( this compresses the flask to the appropriate densitity and closure) Tech choice is likely. Methods vary 300-2500
Rubber mallet for deflasking