The Dental Technician
Not every member of your dental care team works chairside. Behind the scenes, skilled dental technicians craft many of the custom items your dentist fits – from crowns to dentures – each one made specifically for your mouth.
Q: What does a dental technician do?
A dental technician is a skilled professional who designs and creates custom dental appliances and restorations in a dental laboratory, based on precise moulds, scans and instructions provided by your dentist. They combine technical skill with an eye for detail, matching colour, shape and fit so that the finished piece looks natural and functions correctly in your mouth.
Q: What do they make?
Dental technicians commonly produce:
• Crowns and bridges
• Dentures, both full and partial
• Mouthguards and night guards
• Orthodontic appliances and retainers
• Veneers
Each item is custom-made to match your bite, the shape of your mouth, and, where visible, the natural colour and shape of your surrounding teeth.
Q: How does a dental technician differ from a dentist or hygienist?
Your dentist examines, diagnoses and treats your teeth and gums directly, and your hygienist focuses on cleaning and preventive care. A dental technician generally doesn't work directly on patients at all – instead, they work in a laboratory setting, turning your dentist's precise specifications into a physical restoration or appliance. It's a close, ongoing collaboration: your dentist takes the impressions or digital scans and provides the exact requirements, and the technician crafts the piece to match.
Q: Why does the process sometimes take a couple of visits?
Because each restoration is custom made, there's usually a short turnaround between taking impressions or scans and receiving the finished piece from the laboratory. During this time you may wear a temporary restoration to protect the tooth. Once the permanent piece is ready, we'll fit it, check the bite and colour match carefully, and make any small adjustments needed for a comfortable, natural-looking result.