Dental laboratory equipment encompasses the full range of systems used for manufacturing fixed or removable dental prosthetics. Whether your lab is focused on using the latest digital dental technologies for highly efficient production or time-tested techniques for maximum esthetic appeal, these systems will be critical to your ability to fabricate dental restorations.

Your equipment includes everything from the bench you work at and the utilities working in the background, to the systems and machines you need to complete the highly specific tasks that allow you to produce top quality dental restorations. Having the right equipment and having it in good working order is critical to your labs operations and success.

First question is what types of dental laboratory equipment do you need? The answer to this question is completely dependent on what type of lab you operate and what types of restorations you want to be able to create. If you are a full service lab using a variety of techniques to produce fixed and removable restorations from a wide range of materials, then your lab will require an equally vast range of equipment, and it will make a lot of sense to look at systems that are both flexible and efficient. If you are a specialty lab focused on one restorative area, then you will want to invest in the equipment best suited to the tasks you will need to complete every day.

Just about every lab will have need for the basics such as dental laboratory furniture including benches and lighting, as well as utility equipment including dust collectors and oilless air compressors. Other must haves when it comes to dental laboratory equipment include a reliable and versatile handpiece, an articulation system for mounting models and cases, as well as cleaning and polishing systems for putting those final touches on restorations.

With the first consideration of what types of restorations you want to create settled, it’s time to take a more specific look at the needs of your dental lab. Your investments need to not just fit in the lab, but be able to be set up in an ergonomic and useful manner, so be sure to look at the size and configuration of any system you are considering makes sense for your lab’s physical layout. Another important consideration is the company behind the systems you purchase.