It often goes unnoticed among many dentists precisely what kind of work is put into the production of dental implants and dentures. Practitioners take an impression of the patient using a disposable impression tray; send the impression to the laboratory, and then a week or more later an abutment, crown or bridge will arrive for the dentist to apply. The process that resulted in the finished implant remains a mystery, both to clinicians and the patients who ultimately benefit from the procedure.
A dental technician is responsible for constructing custom made restorative and dental appliances upon prescription from a clinician. The technician will receive a prescription and dental impression from a dentist, and filling the impression with gypsum dental stone can create a replica of a patients oral anatomy, known as a dental model. The model can then be used as the basis for the construction of a custom appliance.