Why is My Lab Sending Me these Bulky Crowns?

Stop wasting time.

Some of our students are really frustrated because they’re getting these incredibly bulky crowns back from their dental lab and they have to spend a lot of time adjusting the crown. A lot of time, 30, 40 minutes, and chair time’s very valuable.

So why are some of the reasons that you’re going to get bulky crowns from you lab?

First and foremost, it might sound a little silly, but just make sure you’re giving your lab adequate reduction. It’s still very common to see a lot of underprepared teeth, especially on functional cusps, so really make sure that you’re giving the lab the amount of space that they need. Depending on your material, it may change, and your preference, so just really talk to your technician and understand the materials you are using.

The other reason that labs tend to send us bulky crowns, we’re not giving them enough information.

So we’re giving them part of the information by doing quadrant trays. They don’t get to see the opposing side. They’re missing out on the actual function that we can give if we give them full-arch models and a facebow, so we’re really limiting the lab in what they can do. So be a good team player. Talk to your lab, and figure out the records that are going to give you the most successful outcome.