Evaluating new materials or processes?

March 22nd, 2016

 

Are you thinking of introducing a new material or process such as CAD CAM or Flexible Dentures into your lab?

It is a good idea, regardless of whether you are a DAMAS laboratory or not, that you take time to effectively evaluate new materials and processes, before fulling implementing them.

New materials:

Common reasons for introducing new materials:

– Recommendations

– A favourite material has been discontinued

– A new process or technology requires specific materials

New processes:

Common reasons for introducing new processes:

– A new technique to make an existing process easier

– A modern, time saving technology

– The expansion of laboratory product lines

– The expansion of the laboratory as a whole

– Frequent requests for a certain type of appliance have made the introduction worthwhile

Apart from doing research before committing, conducting thorough evaluations is key to ensuring that the new process or material will work within your laboratory.

An important thing to remember is that you should (and already will, if you are a DAMAS lab) maintain lists of approved materials and suppliers. If at any point the new product is included in an appliance for a genuine patient case, the material must be added to the approved materials list. There is a material / process evaluation form provided with the DAMAS system for you to fill out as part of your evaluation process.

Categories: Implementation