Will AI Replace Dental Laboratory Technicians?

Read prescriptions or specifications and examine models or impressions to determine the design of dental products to be constructed.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Test appliances for conformance to specifications and accuracy of occlusion, using articulators and micrometers.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Fabricate, alter, or repair dental devices, such as dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays, or appliances for straightening teeth.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Place tooth models on an apparatus that mimics bite and movement of patient's jaw to evaluate functionality of model.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Remove excess metal or porcelain and polish surfaces of prostheses or frameworks, using polishing machines.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Train or supervise other dental technicians or dental laboratory bench workers.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Melt metals or mix plaster, porcelain, or acrylic pastes and pour materials into molds or over frameworks to form dental prostheses or apparatuses.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Prepare metal surfaces for bonding with porcelain to create artificial teeth, using small hand tools.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Rebuild or replace linings, wire sections, or missing teeth to repair dentures.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Apply porcelain paste or wax over prosthesis frameworks or setups, using brushes and spatulas.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Build and shape wax teeth, using small hand instruments and information from observations or dentists' specifications.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Load newly constructed teeth into porcelain furnaces to bake the porcelain onto the metal framework.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Mold wax over denture setups to form the full contours of artificial gums.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Create a model of patient's mouth by pouring plaster into a dental impression and allowing plaster to set.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Prepare wax bite blocks and impression trays for use.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Shape and solder wire and metal frames or bands for dental products, using soldering irons and hand tools.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Fill chipped or low spots in surfaces of devices, using acrylic resins.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.