Field of Activity
Dental technicians work predominantly in commercial dental laboratories but also in dental practice laboratories, dental clinics and in the dental industry. Their work, performed on the basis of dental job orders, includes:
- manufacturing fixed dentures, inlays, crowns and bridges from a variety of materials;
- manufacturing removable dentures from a variety of materials;
- manufacturing and processing precision-engineered clasps;
- manufacturing implant supraconstructions;
- manufacturing orthodontic appliances, braces and other correctional appliances;
- modifying, amending and repairing dentures of all kinds;
- modifying, amending and repairing orthodontic appliances, braces and correctional devices;
Occupational Skills
Dental technicians:
- advise customers on materials and their biocompatability and the technical and structural possibilities relating to a planned prosthesis;
- make models using working documentation;
- turn jaw models into articulators;
- measure and analyse jaw models to use as a basis for preparing reconstructions;
- colour match artificial teeth and mount them according to functional, phonetic and aesthetic criteria;
- model teeth, parts of teeth, groups of teeth and replacement tissue parts, taking account of anatomical and functional conditions;
- manufacture connecting, holding and support elements for dentures;
- make one-off dentures, crowns and bridges and also orthodontic correctional appliances using craft skills;
- smelt, cast, process and work metal alloys and plastics for use in dentures;
- coat colour-matched ceramic materials, fire and process them;
- weld, solder and glue materials for use in dentures;
- amend and repair dentures and orthodontic appliances;
- be able to maintain high product quality under tight deadlines.
