The Value of Having an In-House Dental Lab

We have found that our in-house dental laboratory allows us to serve our patients more quickly and efficiently.

For example, instead of sending designs out for review, our laboratory technician and dentist can review design plans directly with patients, which minimizes waiting and turn-around times.

When you are on-site, feel free to ask for a tour of the lab. In the meantime, here is a description of the system we have in place to serve you.

A Tour of the lab

Sintering furnace

Upon entering, you'll find our sintering furnace. This high-temperature furnace, reaching at least 900 degrees, is essential for baking stained crowns. The process takes about 20 minutes.

3D printer

Next, we have the Rapid Shape 3D printer. This advanced machine prints models and night guards. Printing a model takes around 40 minutes, from the base to the incisal parts (the biting surface of the teeth). Night guards, made from a mouth-safe material, take about 2.5 hours to print.

Once printed, items go into a wash station with 99% alcohol for a 10-minute wash. They then enter a curing station, resembling a mini tanning bed, for 5-8 minutes to set them in a stable state.

Milling machine

Our iMes iCore milling machine is used for creating crowns, bridges, and more. It features a toolbox with various bits for framing out a crown, taking about 20 minutes for a simple crown.

Dental furnace

We also use a dental furnace for zirconia, which initially comes out of the mill in a larger green state. The sintering furnace then shrinks it to fit the mouth perfectly. This process takes about 5-7 hours at very high temperatures. Typically, the tooth is stained first, then sintered, and finally polished.

Orthodontic aligners

We can design, print, and vacuum-form our own ortho aligners in-house. The Ministar machine trims the aligners and polishes night guards. These technologies have significantly improved the quality and efficiency of creating night guards, bleaching trays, and ortho aligner fabrications.