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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. - Capt. Carl Bhend, 509th Medical Operation Squadron dentist, inserts the lower plate into the patients mouth for molding of a night guard, April 9, 2010. After Captain Bhend takes the impressions of the top and bottom of the patient's teeth, the impressions will be taken to the lab technicians to create the guard.(U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Carlin Leslie) (Released)

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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. - Staff Sgt. James Anderson, 509th Medical Operation Squadron dental lab technician, vibrates the clay-like mixture into the molds to create a positive cast of the patients teeth to mold a night guard, April 9, 2010. The cast will set up and then be placed with the other half to mimic the jaw of the patient. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Carlin Leslie) (Released)

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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. - Staff Sgt. James Anderson, 509th Medical Operation Squadron dental lab technician, carefully smoothes out the surfaces of a night guard to ensure a tight fit on the patient's teeth, April 9, 2010. Sergeant Anderson has to repeat this several times until the surface is just right. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Carlin Leslie) (Released)

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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. - Staff Sgt. James Anderson, 509th Medical Operation Squadron dental lab technician, carefully smoothes out the surfaces of the night guard and places back and forth on the jaw cast to ensure a tight fit on the patient, April 9, 2010. Sergeant Anderson has to repeat this several times until the surface is just right. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Carlin Leslie) (Released)

Dental lab works outside of the mouth to provide oral care

Published April 13, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Jason Barebo
509th Bomb WIng Public Affairs

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- The Whiteman Dental Clinic is typically thought of as a place for cleaning, fillings and many other procedures that take place within a person's mouth.

Nestled deep in the back offices of the dental clinic is the dental lab where technicians work outside of the oral cavity.

"Here we fabricate dental prosthetics," said Staff Sgt. James Anderson, 509th Medical Operations Squadron dental lab technician. "Pretty much anything that is needed for a patient's mouth I can make here or I send off-base to be made if we don't have the capabilities."

The process begins when a patient requires a dental prosthetic and the dentist requests the service from the dental lab.

"In most cases, the dentist will make an impression of the patient's teeth and send it to us," Sergeant Anderson said. "Then we will make a mold so that we can have a set of teeth very similar to the patient's to work with."

Once the mold of the patient's teeth is set, Sergeant Anderson then fabricates what was requested, in this case a nightguard.

"Nightguards are used when we notice a patient grinds their teeth at night," said Capt. Carl Bhend, 509th MDOS dentist. "One indicator is their back teeth are flat on top. The nightguard will sit on their teeth and prevent a patient from grinding at night."

Nightguards are made by placing a plastic material on the patient's teeth mold. As the material hardens, one side takes the shape of the patient's teeth. Sergeant Anderson uses a rotary tool to grind down the opposites sides to make sure they fit correctly in the patient's mouth and get rid of any sharp edges.

"All of our products are provided at no cost to the patient in most cases," Sergeant Anderson said.

For more information on nightguards or other dental prosthetics, call (660) 687-2201