2025-10-20 – Weekly Dental Technician News : Lab vs. Chairside: What's your preference?

Last week, our discussions delved into the differences between working in a dental lab and chairside, a topic that sparked a broad exchange of experiences and insights. We also explored the nuances of dental crown manufacturing, dispelling the myth that all crowns are made the same way, which led to some fascinating technical exchanges. Additionally, there was an engaging debate about the best tools for identifying hot spots, highlighting a variety of preferences and techniques among members.


This Week’s Hot Topics

2025-10-16 – Weekly Dental Technician Jobs : Remote roles with great benefits
This thread is buzzing with opportunities for those looking to work remotely. If you’ve been considering a shift in your work environment, this is a must-read.
Read more here

Silicone fit checker or PIP for hot spots
Members are weighing in on whether silicone fit checkers or PIP is better for identifying hot spots. This practical discussion is perfect for anyone looking to refine their toolkit.
Read more here

FAQ/Guidelines
A helpful overview of our community’s guidelines. It’s great for newcomers or anyone needing a refresher on how to make the most of our forum.
Read more here

Admin Guide: Getting Started
This guide is essential for those new to administering dental tech forums. It provides clear, actionable steps for managing discussions effectively.
Read more here

Working in a Dental Lab vs. Chairside
A rich discussion comparing the experiences of working in a lab versus chairside. This thread offers diverse perspectives that might help in career decision-making.
Read more here

Guess That Dental Material
A fun, interactive thread where members test their knowledge of dental materials. It’s a great way to challenge yourself and learn something new.
Read more here

True or False: All Crowns Are Made the Same Way
Debunking myths about dental crowns, this discussion is educational and might change the way you approach your work.
Read more here

Name That Dental Tool
Another engaging thread where members identify various dental tools. Perfect for sharpening your tool recognition skills.
Read more here

Is a Career as a Dental Technician Right for You?
If you’re contemplating a career change or just entering the field, this thread offers valuable insights into what being a dental technician entails.
Read more here

How Did You Land Your First Dental Lab Job?
A collection of personal stories and advice on breaking into the dental lab industry. It’s a motivating read for anyone starting their career journey.
Read more here


Wishing you a productive week ahead. Looking forward to your contributions and questions in the forum.

Lab for precision; chairside only for ‘same-day temp’ try-ins. Calibrate furnaces weekly, @Nina?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‌‌‍‍‌‌⁠​‍‌‌‍‍‌​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‌​​​⁠‍‌‌‍​‍​⁠‌⁠‌​⁠‌​‍⁠‌‌‍⁠‌‌​‌‌‌⁠​​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

For full-contour zirconia I stay lab — speed‑sinter chairside still nudges margins and shade. Chairside I’ll print a mockup and send STL plus cross‑polarized shade photos to the lab; since “not all crowns are made the same way,” this hybrid cut occlusal hits by about 50%, @e_franklin11. Lithium disilicate onlays I’ll do same‑day if I’ve got dry isolation and a solid enamel ring.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‍⁠​⁠‌‌​⁠‌⁠‌‌​⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍⁠​⁠​‍​⁠‌​‌‌​​‌‌‍‌​⁠​‍‌​​‌‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I track batch-specific zirconia shrinkage; lab finals stay truer. ‘Not all crowns are made the same way’ — you mapping too?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠‌‌‍​‍‌​⁠⁠‌​‍‌‌‍⁠​‌‍​⁠‌‍‌​​⁠​⁠‌⁠‍​‌⁠​⁠‌‌‌​‌⁠‍‌‌​‌‌​⁠‍‌‌⁠‍‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I split duties: chairside for mockups and hybrid‑block onlays, lab for zirconia finals. @Nina, are you tracking tool hours too, or just furnace checks? Swapping the 1.0 mm step bur at about [redacted] — like changing a razor blade before it bites — has kept contacts consistent for me.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‍‌⁠‌​‌‍​‌‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​⁠​‌​⁠​‌​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‍​‌⁠‌​‌‌​⁠‌​⁠⁠‌‌‌​‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‌​⁠⁠‌⁠​​​‍⁠‌‌​⁠‍‌‌⁠⁠‌​‍‍‌⁠‌‍‌‌​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​