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How Digital Age Dental Laboratories are Changing the Dental Field

Vitality Technologies • December 16, 2021

Dentistry has been a profession for more than two thousand years. In the last few decades, however, it has undergone a transformation that is only now becoming clear to most dentists and patients alike. It’s not just that we have better materials these days-though of course there are some amazing new developments in the world of dental technology. What’s really happened is that digital technology has changed everything about how dentists work with their patients-making their job easier, faster, and more efficient!


In this article, we'll cover the details of how the digital age is impacting the field of dentistry and the rise of the digital dental laboratory.



Table of Contents:

  • How Digital Age Dental Laboratories are Changing the Dental Field
  • The benefits of digitization in dentistry
  • What this means for dentists
  • What this means for patients



How Digital Dental Laboratories are Changing the Dental Field


Just a few short years ago, most dentists were still using analog methods to take dental impressions and create models of teeth. This was time-consuming, inefficient, and left a lot of room for error. Today, however, the world of dentistry is quickly evolving with the digital revolution! Digital impression taking and model making is now the norm in most dental offices-thanks to the work of dedicated digital age dental laboratories.


Digital age dental labs are not just limited to making molds of teeth and creating models of missing teeth or other dental issues. In fact, they are capable of far more than that! With the help of digital technology, these digital dental labs can create custom crowns, bridges, and dentures-all from a digital scan of the patient’s mouth. This versatility and speed of product development are what have made them so popular among dentists in recent years.


The Benefits of Digitization in Dentistry


There are many benefits to digitization in dentistry. Some of the most notable include:


Increased accuracy: A digital impression is far more accurate than an analog impression. This means that the fit of dental prosthetics is much better, and there is less need for adjustments or remakes.


Reduced time requirements: Digitizing the process of taking dental impressions and creating models speeds up the entire workflow in a dental office. This means that patients can get their work done faster, and dentists can see more patients each day.


Increased efficiency: When every step of the dental process is digitized, it becomes far more efficient. There is less waste of time and resources, which leads to improved profitability for dental offices.




What this Means for Dentists


For dentists, digital technology means that their jobs are now easier, faster, and more efficient.


Taking Dental Impressions is Easier with Digitization


It used to be that when a patient came in with a toothache, the only way for the dentist to make an accurate diagnosis was to take an impression of the tooth in question. This meant inserting gooey dental putty into the patient’s mouth and manipulating it around until they got a clear scan of what was going on in there. Then-and only then-could they get started planning treatment options.


With digitized impressions taken using intraoral scanners, however, this process becomes much simpler and quicker. That’s because these scanners capture an accurate 3D image of the teeth in a matter of seconds-no putty necessary! This means that dentists can get a clear picture of the patient’s dental situation and start planning treatment right away.


Creating Dental Models is Easier with Digitization


For many years, dentists have been creating dental models by hand. This process is slow, tedious, and often results in errors. With digital age dental labs, however, this is no longer necessary! All it takes is a quick scan of the patient’s teeth to create a perfectly accurate model of their dental situation. This means that dentists can spend their time doing what they do best-treating patients!


Creating Custom Crowns, Bridges, and Dentures is Easier with Digitization


One of the most popular ways that dental labs are helping dentists keep their patients happy is by using digital technology to create custom crowns, bridges, and dentures. What used to take a number of steps can now be achieved in a single scan! The combination of intraoral scanner technology and high-quality dental CAD/CAM equipment has made it easier than ever for these labs to produce high-quality work for their customers.


What this Means for Patients


For patients, the digitization of dentistry has brought about several key benefits: 


Convenience: With the help of digital technology, dentists are able to take dental impressions and create models quickly and easily. This means that patients don’t have to spend a lot of time in the dentist’s office-resulting in less hassle and inconvenience.


Accuracy: The use of digital technology in dental labs results in products with incredible accuracy. This means that patients can trust in the quality and precision of the products they are receiving. 


Aesthetics: Thanks to the incredible accuracy of digital technology, dental labs are now able to create products that look natural and beautiful. This means that patients can have confidence in their smile-even when they’re wearing a dental prosthetic.



Durability: Digital technology also results in products that are far more durable than those created by traditional methods. This is because there is less room for error in the manufacturing process.


Digital Is The Future of Dentistry


The future of dentistry is a digital one. Dentists can now diagnose and treat patients with unprecedented accuracy, thanks to digitized impressions taken using intraoral scanners. With these tools in hand, it's easier than ever for dental labs to produce products that look natural and durable-giving patients peace of mind when there are wearing their prosthetic devices or missing teeth. 

a computer monitor in a dental office shows a picture of teeth
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