effective communication between clinic and lab

Question 1

Do

6

Answer 1

Do try a positive problem solving approach
Do put yourself in the technician’s shoes (e.g. when doing crown prep)
Do negotiate and conciliate through “errors”
Do treat your technicians with utmost respect
Do be prepared to change technicians if things aren’t working out
Do say “thank you”

Question 2

don’t

Answer 2

blam or lose your temper

Question 3

basic information on lab prescription

4

Answer 3

Basic patient identifier (Name/DOB)
Date the lab card
Put your name on the card (& supervising clinician)
Date the next appointment

Question 4

how to describe what you are making on lab prescription

Answer 4

Indicate what you are making eg: F/F; -/P; lower soft splint etc

If its an immediate denture note this clearly and which teeth are to be extracted

At EACH STAGE indicate that work going to the laboratory has been disinfected

Question 5

special trays lab prescription

Answer 5

Material to be used

Spacer – usually 3mm;
* exception close fitting tray in complete dentures for use with ZnO/Eugenol impression paste or light or medium bodied silicone
* e.g. C/C – particularly resorbed ridge (RHS)

Tray handle and/or finger rests
Photo shows vertical handles – aid border moulding

Special instructions eg: horseshoe tray in wretching pt to avoid covering the palate

Question 6

record blocks prescription

Answer 6

Do you need upper and/or lower
* Overprescribed often
* Do you have enough index teeth to hold the casts together?

Base eg: wax; wire strengthener; Co/Cr; shellac; etc

Question 7

partial denture design on prescription

Answer 7

Prescribe for primary cast to be surveyed & articulated

Indicate design clearly on card and primary cast

Indicate material of base eg: Co/Cr or acrylic and materials for other elements eg: clasps

Question 8

try in info needed on prescription

5

Answer 8

• Shade
• Mould
• Cusped/cuspless teeth
• Setting
• Individual requirements eg: 1mm diastema or no 7’s etc

Question 9

info needed for taking to finish on prescription

Answer 9

• Postdams – where; how many
• Relief areas – tori/ bony exostoses/ overdenture abutments
• Soft lining?
• Type of acrylic eg: high impact or heat cured
• Special requirements eg: gum contouring

Question 10

possible additional information on lab prescription

Answer 10

Clinical photographs
Family photographs
Photographs of old denture
Impressions of old denture
Odd clasp/connector arrangements

Communicate these clearly and in duplicate
* Send photo and call to explain

Data Protection Act 2018

Question 11

labs must be registered with

Answer 11

MHRA
medicines and healthcare products regulatory authority

pt must be offered a “Statement of manufacture”, note in record take/not

Question 12

lab prescription is a

Answer 12

medical legal document

Question 13

handles for special tray for C/C

Answer 13

intra oral handle better

doesn’t push lip out the way, get better sulcus depth

Question 14

pro of shellac base record block

Answer 14

more stable

allows for wash impression (light body PVS)

Question 14

pro of shellac base record block

Answer 14

more stable

allows for wash impression (light body PVS)

Question 15

cuspless teeth for

Answer 15

Class III, edge to edge or reverse OJ
or have worn edentulous denture for ages and have become used to teeth contact

Question 16

how many teeth to put on denture

Answer 16

Think mouth size with span of arches e.g. small mouth go to 6s
* Otherwise see saw effect and ill fit, tip up from back

Tell pt

No decrease in function for them just less bulky

Question 17

vibrating line

Answer 17

junction between hard and soft palate

Question 18

post dam and ante dam

Answer 18

2 options for pt as cam trim to ante dam if pt cannot tolerate post dam (junction between hard and soft palate)