The Future of the Dental Lab: What Trends Are Telling Us

If you’ve read anything we’ve published over the last, well, ever, you know we’re all about digital dentistry and where technology is taking us and our industry. Pretty much every industry is, has been, and will continue to see increasingly fast advances due to technology. The dental lab industry is no exception. Here’s a few things we see happening now that will really affect the direction our industry is headed

:3D Printing As a relatively new option in restorative dentistry, 3D printing is still in its early stages. When it does become the industry standard, it’s going to turn the dental world upside down–in a good way. Imagine being able to import a scan, design a 3D model, and then print it all from one affordable machine. Say goodbye to storing and organizing countless physical models! The craftsmanship of the lab technician will see a shift from physical to digital mastery, but traditional skills won’t go away completely. The finishing touches on a case (staining, etc.) will still need to be performed with a trained eye and steady hand.

:An All-Digital ToolbeltLabs able to adapt quickly to the expanding digital landscape will be able to shed the vast majority of their physical tools and equipment, substituting instead digital production equipment (like 3D printers!).It sounds a bit scary, but this is a good thing! All at once it would lower overhead costs associated with buying and maintaining equipment, minimize clutter in the lab, and speed up the production process.

: Ever-Increasing Durability of Materials We’ve all seen how much materials such as e.Max and Zirconia have expanded the possibilities given by dental restorations. When you look at how far we’ve come since the days of solely relying on metals for our restorations. As these materials continue to advance, we’ll see sharper progression in the desirable properties of the materials themselves. Traits that minimize conductivity and expansion while maximizing resistance to wear and erosion will make for stronger and stronger materials as time goes on.

: More Outsourced Work, Opportunity for Labs Like UsIn the late 1980′s and 90′s, graduates in dental laboratory technician (DLT) programs saw a sharp decline, from an average capacity of more than 1,000 in in1989 to less than 500 in 1998. Now, 15 years later, it’s having an impact on the industry.The industry having less technicians has and will continue to lead to more outsourcing to places like China and Mexico for cheaper labor and lower quality work. It offers an interesting opportunity for labs like us. We’ll continue to produce truly custom, high quality work for the dentist who cares about what goes into his/her patient’s mouth. It will allow the labs with true skill and passion to stand out amongst the larger dental labs.

#3dprinting #newtechnique #cadcam