In any dental lab the most dreaded case is a remake case.This article shares how to avoid remakes and what to do when you have them.
The most important aspect of the fabrication process in any dental lab is getting a good impression. A lot of factors come into play when taking a nice impression, analog or digital. Whether you are a dentist, dental assistant, or hygienist, taking impressions is not enjoyable. The process is messy for the patient and dental office staff.
There are a few things you can do to make taking an impression easy for you and your patient:
- Choosing the right tray and controlling the gag reflexes is a good place to start. What is equally important is paying attention to margins, following directions, preventing voids, and preparation of the procedure will help to ensure your impression turns out great.
- Controlling the tissue, fluid management techniques and packing cord correctly, will reveal the margins and verify all the details captured in the impression.
- These aspects go a long way in ensuring the accuracy of the final dental impressions.
- If there is a impression we cannot use, we will call and request a new impression.
- The next big detail that can lower your remake percentages is the importance of the lab script.
- Minor details must be accurate and communicated on the lab slip. There is no such thing in the dental lab industry is too much information on the lab script. The more details you can provide, the less likely the need for follow-up phone calls. If your lab needs to call for clarification on your instructions, it only serves to delay the case and take up even more of your workday.
- Providing visual documentation. Photos are a great tool and yet remain highly underutilized. Todays’ smartphones are able to provide high quality photos.
- Make sure when taking a picture for a shade reference, you show the shade tab next to what you want to match. Make sure the photo is in focus and you are in good lighting. Make sure the color is accurately represented in the photo.
- Another great way to avoid remakes is having a local lab do a shade match. Too many times do we see anterior cases come back because of a shade discrepancy. Most local labs take custom shades. For those hard to match shades. Call and schedule a custom shade appointment for your patient. That way the dental lab can take their own photos and see all characteristics of the teeth.
- Giving the dental lab enough time to fabricate a high-quality product is also very important. Generally, for smaller cases you should be giving your lab at least 2 weeks and for bigger cases 3 weeks. Rushing the dental lab is never a good idea.
- Every lab will have remakes. The best approach is having effective communication and taking your time to get all the information, impressions, photos right. Too many times labs must call to request more time to work on the case. This results in having to reschedule the patient which can add frustration. Taking accurate impressions, having nice preparations of the teeth you’re working on, and filing out an accurate lab script all help reduce your remake percentage.
We take the time to clarify and avoid remakes. If something is unclear on the lab slip, we will stop and give you a call. We take pride in connecting with clients and making sure their cases go as smoothly as possible. When it comes to how remakes are handled in the lab there is not one size fits all. Remake charges are based on the case. Sometimes labs will cover the costs of all remakes, despite who is responsible, but this often leads to more remakes. A lot of the time the lab will decide to either charge 50% or 100% based on the situation. You will find that most labs have a understanding approach when it comes to charging for remakes. Most labs do not have a defined remake policy.
Contact us if you have questions about making a great impression, or any of our services. We are here to help.
