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The dental materials that make up your dental restorations can have an impact on your health and the quality of your overall dental work. Talk to your dentist to check that they are using a reputable lab with high-quality materials.

What is a dental lab?

A dental lab is a facility that makes products for dentists and periodontists. Dentists often have specific labs they prefer to work with based on the lab’s location, costs, available products, and quality of work.

What does a dental lab do?

A dental lab manufactures a variety of products used by dentists, including orthodontic appliances, dentures, crowns, and bridges. These products are often custom-made for a specific patient. When a patient needs a crown, for example, their dentist will make an impression (copy) of the patient’s tooth using a putty-like substance. This impression is then sent to a dental lab so the lab can create a permanent crown.

Why dental lab materials matter

Dental materials include metals, plastics, and ceramics. According to the American College of Prosthodontists, key requirements for dental materials “include their being non-toxic, biocompatible, water resistant, and durable,” and “many also need to be esthetic and wear-resistant.”

High-end dental lab materials, therefore, tend to result in better products that hold up better over time. Patients can expect products made from these materials to last longer, which means crowns, bridges, and other appliances likely won’t need to be replaced as frequently.

Patients concerned about the quality of their dental work should ask their dentist or periodontist which dental lab(s) they use. The safest and highest performing dental products will be highly refined and fabricated from high-quality materials. Good dental labs will also have skilled, artistic technicians that can make all the difference when it comes to the aesthetics of the dental products.

At DGY Dentistry, for example, our Ann Arbor dental office has partnered with a local lab that “uses the most up to date technology to provide the highest quality dental restorations.”

Learn more about our approach to dentistry here.

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