Solid model technique

Wowsers waht a crazy two weeks.  I have just crashed at the en d of each night.  Anyway off to the topic.  Just wanted to post the solid model technique we use to get better, closer contacts, quicker.  Everybody looks for quicker.  First we have three solid models; A. Mesial adjacent tooth and prep, with tissue completely removed and margin trimmed nicely, B. Distal adjacent tooth and prep, with tissue completely removed and margin trimmed nicely, C. Both Mesial and Distal adjacent teeth and prep, with tissue form carefully to mimic proper intra-oral formation.  Models A. and B. are used as quick grind guides to get contacts seated very close very quickly.  Model C. is used as the precision model, you can get the final contacts with just a quick touch of your bur, as well as correct contour for proper tissue management(this is generally a very revealing stage, as to how much tissue is generally impinged upon), and any finishing touches, i.e. perikymata, furcation indentations, etc.  I will upload pictures of examples as soon as our camera gets back from the repair shop.  Please comment if you have any questions.

 

Busy-ness

I wanted to  pop on and apologize for my noticeable absence.  It has been a busy couple of weeks with work and home repairs and such…..  I will be back soon though.

 

Next Generation

SO far I can see three generations of Dental technicians before us.  1. The inventors, these are the people around at the conceptualization of porc to metal crown.  2. The High and Mighty, these were the techs and owners around in the 80’s growing their labs into the bubble of the early 90’s 3. The re-inventors, these guys got the metal free, oxide sub-structure up and going.  And now there is Us, the next generation, the technicians fighting outsourcing, fighting for our jobs.  The ones realizing that we have to get better as an industry.  Stepping away from the “cottage industry” and into the lime-light.  Alot of people want to do this but don’t really know how.  EDUCATION! That’s how.  How many of you know the envelope of function, neutral zone, cuspid guidance (truely) anterior disclusion.  How many can talk to a Doctor, ….. on his terms, using vocabulary he can understand.  While I’m easy going and layed back, I can still talk intelligably with any dentist.  Including the great ones who have choosen to continue their education at an advanced training facility.  And speaking of…  Advanced training, why don’t more of us attend the Dawson Center, LVI, OBI, Seattle institute, or any of the number of advanced training facitities, why don’t we invest in ourselves, our future and our role as a whole in the dental technician industry?  LAZINESS.. that’s why.  I am the first to admit, I don’t want to save up the $2000 to take the week off, loose pay and go to the Dawson Center, in Florida. Bbbbuuuutttt, If I don’t will I ever make more than $20 an hour, umm nope, won’t happen.  Why?  Because.  People invest 10’s of thousands of dollars in themselves to go to a 4 year college, why can’t we get loans, or shoot see if there are grants out there pertaining to adult education, hmm a little time and we might be able to get advanced training for free.  I’ll say it again; laziness…….  Well I see why we are worried about offshore competition.  They are just as good as us because they have been trained to the same thing as us, How soon will it be before they are better?  How soon before they realize they need to invest in themselves?  How soon before you realize?

 

The beginning

This will be a casual, conversational style blog pertaining to and consisting of Dental Technician issues.  I will do my best to not make it a stuffy learning institute and explain everything to the best of my ability in everyday terminology.  Heck, I may even throw in a couple of very specific new terminology, such as but not exluded to, thingy or thingy-ma-bob.  Everyone knows that we use this at least once a day 🙂 .  I welcome discussion, and will not smite anyone with differing opinions, I want this to be an open forum, if you will, for learning and sharing.  It is more important now than ever to share with one another our knowledge and skill, so that all of the industry may become better.  Then and only then do we not have to worry about our jobs and outsourcing.