Practices have more choices than ever for where their lab work gets made. Some send cases across the country or overseas, and some work with a lab down the road. Both approaches can produce good restorations. The differences tend to show up in logistics, communication and how problems get solved. Here is how we would think it through.
Turnaround predictability
Turnaround is more than the number of days a lab quotes. It also includes shipping, customs or carrier delays, and the time it takes to sort out a question.
A distant lab can quote a competitive timeline, and many meet it. The variable is usually transit. A package held up for a few days can push a seat appointment, and that is hard to plan around.
With a local lab, transit is a short drive. Most of our cases run 8 to 9 business days, and rush is often possible when a patient needs it. The schedule you book is easier to keep.
Communication and technician access
Questions come up on almost every case. A margin looks unclear, a bite seems off, or a shade note could go two ways.
When the lab is far away, those questions usually travel through email or a customer service team, sometimes across time zones. That works, but it can add a day each way.
With a local lab, you can usually reach the person working on your case during your own business hours. A two-minute call often settles what would otherwise become a remake.
Shade appointments
Some cases need more than a shade tab and a photo. High-esthetic anterior work, a single central incisor or a patient with unusual coloring can benefit from having a technician see the patient in person.
That is difficult to arrange with a distant lab. Locally, it is routine. Our partner Ron Salvatore offers custom shading consultations at our Revere lab or in your office.
Pickup, delivery and digital cases
For conventional impressions, a local lab can pick up and deliver. We cover Greater Boston, which removes the cost and handling of shipping.
For digital cases, distance matters less for getting the file to the lab. We accept scans from any intraoral scanner. Where it still matters is everything after the file arrives: questions, try-ins and adjustments.
Remakes and adjustments
No lab avoids every remake. What differs is how quickly one gets resolved.
When a crown needs an adjustment or a remake from a distant lab, it has to travel back, get reworked and travel again. With a local lab, models and restorations can move across town in a day, and we can often talk through the issue while the patient is still in your schedule.
Consistency over time
Consistency comes from the same people working on your cases and learning your preferences: how you like contacts, how you prep, how you want occlusion set. That can happen with any lab that keeps a stable team. It is often easier when you can call, visit and put a face to the work. Every case at our lab is personally inspected before it leaves.
Making the choice
Cost, case volume and the type of work you do all play a part, and the right answer can differ between a busy general practice and a cosmetic-focused office. Some practices use both. If predictability, access and shade support matter to you, a local partner is worth considering. Learn more about working with a dental lab in Boston or on the North Shore.
To talk about how we could support your practice, call 781.853.0777 or submit a case online.
Questions about a case?
Our technicians are glad to talk through materials, shade or design before you send it. Call 781.853.0777 or email ron@dentalcreations.net.
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