David Elms has spent nearly half a century working as a dental laboratory technician, helping to craft new smiles for thousands of patients. He began his career in the late 1970s, when dentures were made by hand using acrylic materials. Today, the field looks very different, thanks to computers, advanced software, and 3D printing technology.
Dentures are custom-made false teeth designed to fit a person’s mouth. They come in two main types: full dentures, which replace all of a person’s teeth, and partial dentures, which attach to remaining teeth on a metal or acrylic framework. Creating dentures requires both precision and artistic skill, as technicians must ensure the fit, appearance, and comfort for each person. According to David, most people are not aware of this specialized job or the level of artistry involved.
In 1979, David was known as a ‘dental mechanic.’ At that time, making dentures involved manual impressions, wax modeling, and careful hand-carving to replicate natural teeth. Older materials such as vulcanite gave way to better acrylics, but the technician’s artistic abilities remained crucial. David remembers tinting and shaping individual teeth so they blended perfectly, making it impossible to tell which teeth were replacements.
Modern denture manufacturing now relies heavily on technology. Dental technicians use computer programs to design dentures and 3D printers to produce them in durable acrylic glass. Despite the changes, the fundamental goal remains the same: to create natural-looking smiles that improve people’s lives. David estimates that his team has produced around 2000 dental prosthetics in the last two years, ranging from single teeth to complete dentures.
Although he sometimes misses the hands-on crafting of earlier days, David is enthusiastic about the advances in technology. He believes the new tools make the work more efficient and exciting. David continues to work at the Cairns North Community Health Centre, where he enjoys seeing the positive effect his expertise has on patients and their confidence.
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