What materials save you time and increase productivity?

[Denturepropgh]

For Instance,

I don't know if my coworker is pulling my leg or not but he tells me of a type of gypsum used for dental casts that you don't have to soak to do repairs. Currently, we use Gibraltar Lab Stone from Zahn for model fabrication,and Palapress Vario from Heraeus Kulzer for our repairs. We soak model for about 10 minutes to relieve of air, and then proceed with the repair. Has anyone ever heard of this gypsum material that you don't have to soak? We are booming right now, with only 2 techs in removable, Luke and myself. I really need to figure out the most efficient way for us to work, so we can keep it cool and profitable. We haven't tried dentures with cad/cam yet. I wonder if the companies would do a free trial case, to see if it's a system worth investing in? I want very badly for us to go digital, but the investment seems huge, and I really want to figure out how much it costs to fabricate a full denture start to finish and compare.

I manage our removable department, and I really want to whip it into shape and get us as efficient as possible. I believe that we may have some "old - school" ways of doing things around here and I really care about my employer and our future success as a laboratory. I'm really excited for the advancement of removable and dental technology as a whole, and at the same time I'm nervous about being left behind with conventional techniques, as technology passes me by.

Please, share a thing or two that you have incorporated in your business to increase productivity so we can help each other grow! This is a fantastic site, and I'm very grateful for all the information that I have picked up along the way. Thanks everyone, and I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day! .... ( You are off for Memorial Day, right?)

- Bob

 

[AJEL]

Ok soaking is old school ortho, I bet the acrylic either sticks or is soft on tissue side.
There is an additive from American dental supply, 800-558-5925, I didn't like it but give them a call.
A gypsum insulator I use in lab is APS from DVA 800-228-6696. After I have my modrl I heat & apply to hot model, as it properly separates in this manner.

Menorial day I visited dads grave, and this old Vet worked in Lab, this weekend as all weekends.

 

[Denturepropgh]

I'll give it a shot. Thanks AJ. I'll try anything to shave some time off of these processes. Im not trying to shortcut the quality, just find a quicker way to the same result. A few months back, I read of a new self-cure repair acrylic that takes only 3 minutes to cure that you don't even have to put in the pressure pot, so maybe I'll give that a try as well. You're always full of great information! Thank you very much for your service for our country!

 

[AJEL]

Sometimes trying to save a minute on the front of processing adds ten at the finishing.
As for SnowRock ISO-FAST when I saw it demonstrated a year or so ago, they had to use a presdure pot, and mechanical retention was required. (Old time techs remember making the bow ties for repairs)
I have worked in a few sweat shop production labs, I'm glad I'm not in that position, it is miserable to work in a place that stresses quantity and speed over anything else.