Overview
There are two main components to the Technical Services Laboratory: the production laboratory and teaching laboratory facilities.
Production laboratory
The production laboratory produces dental appliances such as removable prosthodontics, including dentures and orthodontic appliances, and provides adjunctive services such as denture repairs, and fixed prosthodontics, such as crowns and bridges.
The laboratory is where undergraduate and postgraduate students, staff, and Hospital Dentistry submit work with a written work order.
Teaching laboratory facilities
The Technical Services Laboratory manages the Faculty of Dentistry's teaching laboratory facilities. This includes the maintenance, repair, and replacement of equipment.
It also assists in the distribution of materials to students in the teaching laboratory.
Specialties
Complete removable prosthodontics
Complete dentures are appliances fabricated to fit a toothless arch or a completely toothless mouth.
Partial removable prosthodontics
These are dentures that replace some missing teeth in either the upper or lower arch, where there are still natural teeth.
Fixed prosthodontics
This includes inlays, onlays, posts and cores, crowns, and bridges. They are fixed restorations cemented into place by dentists, forming an intricate part of the patient's dental anatomy. These restorations are usually cast in gold or other metals.
Crown and bridge work varies from replacing a single tooth to the replacement of complete upper and lower arches. The restoration is cemented to a single preparation or one or more abutments.
Orthodontic appliances
Orthodontic appliances are usually temporary devices constructed to deal with the repositioning of the teeth within a patient's mouth.
Implants
Dental implants are pre-manufactured artificial roots, which dentists surgically embed into the mouths of patients. Implants form the supporting units for both fixed and removable prostheses.
The procedures for construction of implant-supported restorations are very specialised, requiring the team effort of dental specialists and the dental technologists.
Our people at the Technical Services Laboratory
Production laboratory
- Steve Swindells Technical Services Manager
- Mike Tapealava Team Leader – Postgraduates
- Roger Guthrie Team Leader – Removable Metal Partial Prosthodontics
- Stephen An Team Leader – Removable Prosthodontics
- John Morris Team Leader – Fixed Prosthodontics
- Haruka Dental Technician
- Minshin Dental Technician
- Thomas Gu Dental Technician
- Tracy Pettinger Technical Assistant
- Rachel Mills Technical Assistant
- Dave Steel Technical Assistant
- Bronwyn Connell Receptionist
Teaching laboratory facilities
- Val Alty Team Leader
- Bruce Callister Assistant
Contact the Technical Services Laboratory
Tel +64 3 479 7066
Email dental-lab@otago.ac.nz
Postal address
Technical Services Laboratory
Faculty of Dentistry
University of Otago
PO Box 56
Dunedin 9054
New Zealand
Physical address
Technical Services Laboratory
Faculty of Dentistry
310 Great King Street
North Dunedin
Dunedin 9016
New Zealand