Utilizing the press technique for esthetics and strengthAlan M. Webber, the co-founder of Fast Company magazine, writes about simplicity: “Mastering the art of simplicity gives you a valuable edge. It means you’ve rejected the siren song of complexity, which often masquerades as sophistication or erudition. Instead you’ve practiced the hard work of finding the essence of your idea.”Webber is not suggesting that simple is easy. Simplicity still requires us to perfect form. In an article I wrote titled "Made by hand," I make this very same point that by endless repetition of copying natural teeth, we can perfect very meaningful results for our clients ... without suffering through the complexity. You can request a copy of "Made by hand" by sending me an e-mail at [email protected].
By Joshua Polansky, BS, MDCI love the title of the old Paul Newman movie: "The Color of Money." It seems that those two items are what most patients are interested in these days: color and money. When consulting with many patients, they speak only about color. “I want brighter teeth” and “I want a Hollywood smile” are two of the more common requests coming through my lab. And of course, after explaining what I can do for them, many patients bring up the great equalizer — money. Technicians know that color is not the most important factor in a successful restoration; it is form. This is sometimes hard to explain to patients, and many of our attempts at education may fall upon deaf ears when cost is involved. It is in times like these that I tell technicians their verbal skills can be just as important as their technical skills.It has always been my dream since entering the field of dentistry to become a master dental technician ... a true artist. I will always be passionate about doing complex build-ups and highly characterized restorations, but as we know these take time and I lack in the area of speed. In my hands, at least, it’s true that “speed kills.” This sometimes becomes a problem for patients when they hear my fees for feldspathic restorations. This is not something I take personally because the patient is the client, and my job is not necessarily to make teeth that only satisfy my needs, but the patient’s as well. Today, in every field, people are making choices and much decision making about dentistry comes down to price. My job is to bring a simple solution to people whose daily lives are already overtaxed and overstressed. That is how I help my doctors and patients. For many technicians without the proper training, feldspathic restorations are quite complex with many variables determining the success or failure within each case. The technician must not only have a full understanding of form, but also a full understanding of layering principles, color selection, correct firing temperatures, moisture control, and a full understanding of handling the medium. This is truly an art based on the science of the physical properties of porcelain. This could become very tedious and time consuming without the proper training. All things considered, utilization of press technology can transform a complex task into a relatively simple one, and end up being the best alternative for all concerned.When using press technology, all the technician must master is form, which also leads to another positive about pressing and that is consistency and predictability.