2026-02-02 – Weekly Dental Technician News : When auto margin gaslights me

Last week, our forum buzzed with discussions on the latest advancements and challenges in dental technology. Members shared experiences with new materials, particularly the nuances of working with zirconia and resins. There was also a lively conversation about optimizing suction techniques and the importance of continued education to enhance technical skills. The community remains committed to advancing their expertise and sharing practical solutions.


This Week’s Hot Topics

My silicone ear stole my coffee
A humorous thread where members share unexpected mishaps with lab equipment. It’s a light-hearted reminder of the quirks in our daily routines.
Read more

When the gradient puck has opinions
Explore the challenges of achieving consistent coloration with gradient pucks. This discussion sheds light on a common frustration and shares tips for consistency.
Read more

Dialing in maxillary suction, zero hot spots
Techniques for perfecting maxillary suction without creating pressure points are shared here. It’s a must-read for those dealing with fit issues.
Read more

When runout laughs at torque specs
A technical discussion on how runout can affect torque specifications. This thread offers insights into maintaining precision in your work.
Read more

Best CE for kid-friendly resins and designs
Parents and pediatric specialists share recommendations for continuing education focused on child-friendly dental solutions.
Read more

Looking for advanced zirconia CE
Members discuss the best courses for mastering zirconia, highlighting the importance of ongoing learning in this area.
Read more

When auto margin gaslights me
A candid discussion about the challenges of automated margin creation and how to manage its quirks.
Read more

Courses that sharpen occlusal anatomy
For those looking to refine their occlusal anatomy skills, this thread offers course recommendations to enhance your craft.
Read more

Fastest way to level up new techs
Mentors share strategies for accelerating the learning curve of new technicians, emphasizing hands-on experience and structured guidance.
Read more

CE to tighten appliance fit
Explore continuing education options that focus on improving appliance fit, a key concern for many dental technicians.
Read more


Stay connected and keep sharing your knowledge. Your contributions make this community the valuable resource it is.

1 Like

But when auto margin starts hallucinating on glossy resin or zirconia, I jump to slice view and hand‑paint the line 0.5–1 mm apical from the crispest chamfer — “slice view is your friend.” If the scan’s too shiny, a whisper of matting spray before rescanning beats wrestling the algorithm (some scanners hate spray though); anyone else just toggle smoothing off?

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

I feel you! When I struggle with auto margin, I’ve found using the manual adjustment tools can save a lot of time. Have you tried different settings for zirconia?

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

Auto margin can definitely be tricky. I’ve found that adjusting my angles slightly when working with zirconia helps a lot. Sometimes just a small tweak makes a big difference in how the software reads the margins. @sallyb_82, have you experimented with that approach?

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

I’ve had similar issues with auto margin, especially when working with zirconia. One trick that’s worked for me is to adjust the light settings in your software; sometimes a brighter view can help you identify those subtle discrepancies the auto tool might miss. Have you tried messing around with that while in the slice view?

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