Occupation: Dental Laboratory Technicians

Dental Laboratory Technicians

Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.

51-9081.00 | 17 tasks | 10 job titles

Reported Job Titles

(10)
  • Ceramist
  • Crown and Bridge Dental Laboratory Technician (Crown and Bridge Dental Lab Tech)
  • Dental Ceramist
  • Dental Laboratory Technician (Dental Lab Tech)
  • Dental Technician (Dental Tech)
  • Denture Technician (Denture Tech)
  • Metal Finisher
  • Orthodontic Laboratory Technician (Ortho Lab Tech)
  • Porcelain Technician (Porcelain Tech)
  • Waxer

Core Tasks

(7)
  • Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.
  • Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.
  • Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.
  • Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.
  • Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.
  • Train or supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory bench workers.
  • Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses.

Supplemental Tasks

(10)
  • Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools.
  • Rebuild or replace linings, wire sections, or missing teeth to repair dentures.
  • Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas.
  • Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists' specifications.
  • Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.
  • Mold wax over denture setups to form the full contours of artificial gums.
  • Create a model of patient's mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set.
  • Prepare wax bite blocks and impression trays for use.
  • Shape and solder wire and metal frames or bands for dental products, using soldering irons and hand tools.
  • Fill chipped or low spots in surfaces of devices, using acrylic resins.