Business Details
29 Years
experience
Custom Dental Restorations Expertise in Shreveport
Founded in 1997 by Robert Ratliff and Jamie Bartley, Gator Ceramics Dental Lab has established itself as a leader in fixed dental restorations. Our team brings decades of combined experience, including specialized training under Board Certified Prosthodontists during our time in the U.S. Air Force. We specialize in crowns, bridges, veneers, and custom implant abutments, leveraging cutting-edge CAD/CAM technology to deliver precise, biocompatible solutions. Our commitment to accuracy begins with digital impression systems like Cadent iTero, ensuring seamless communication between dentists, oral surgeons, and our lab. We prioritize personalized service, working as an extension of dental practices to create restorations that enhance both function and aesthetics.With the 2012 merger of Thomas Dental Ceramics, we expanded our expertise in esthetic restorations and CAD/CAM innovation. Our technicians attend dental symposiums regularly, staying at the forefront of industry advancements while maintaining rigorous quality control. Every restoration undergoes meticulous finishing and polishing to ensure perfect adaptation and a natural appearance. We serve dentists nationwide, offering a comprehensive product list from zirconia and lithium disilicate to full-cast metal restorations. Our mission remains unchanged since 1997: to change lives one smile at a time through exceptional craftsmanship and technology-driven efficiency.
Services
Crowns
Bridges
Veneers
Custom Implant Abutments
Digital Scans
Full Cast Restorations
Zirconia Restorations
Hybrid Crowns
Lithium Disilicate Restorations
Removable Dentures
Details
- Year established: 1997
Highlights and features
- We offer 30+ years of combined experience from Air Force-trained technicians.
- Our team merged with Thomas Dental Ceramics in 2012, adding CAD/CAM expertise.
- We were Louisiana's first lab to adopt Cadent iTero digital impression systems.
- Our personalized service operates as an extension of dental practices nationwide.
- Advanced technology ensures 95% of restorations require no adjustments at seating.
What people say
Outstanding professionalism
Beautiful restorations
Consistent quality
Minimal adjustments
Superior product
Services
Crowns
Our crowns restore damaged teeth with precision-engineered restorations using zirconia, lithium disilicate, or precious metals. Each crown undergoes magnification-assisted margin finishing for perfect adaptation to the preparation. The combination of CAD/CAM technology and hand-finishing ensures natural aesthetics while maintaining structural integrity, reducing chair time for dentists through exceptional fit accuracy.
Custom Implant Abutments
We create custom abutments for dental implants using titanium, zirconia, or gold nitride materials. Our technicians collaborate with oral surgeons to ensure precise angulation and emergence profile matching the patient's anatomy. Digital scanning capabilities allow for immediate verification of screw channels and restoration interfaces, guaranteeing seamless integration between abutment and crown components for long-term stability.
Digital Scans
Our Cadent iTero system captures intraoral scans with 10-micron accuracy, eliminating traditional impression materials. Dentists transmit digital files securely for immediate model production, reducing turnaround time by 40%. This technology improves communication between dental teams and ensures dimensional stability unachievable with physical impressions, particularly for complex implant cases.
Bridges
We fabricate multi-unit bridges with monolithic zirconia or porcelain-fused-to-metal construction. Our technicians use articulating paper verification to ensure passive fit across multiple abutments, minimizing stress on supporting teeth. The integration of digital wax-ups with traditional layering techniques creates natural contours and occlusal harmony, typically requiring no adjustments during cementation.
Veneers
Our veneers combine esthetic artistry with technical precision, using lithium disilicate for optimal translucency. Each restoration is designed with customized thickness gradients to mask discoloration while preserving tooth structure. The layering process incorporates characterization techniques learned from master ceramists, achieving natural variations in opacity and color that mimic adjacent dentition.
People
Robert Ratliff
Owner/Lab Technician
With 30+ years in dental technology, Robert co-founded Gator Ceramics after Air Force service under Board Certified Prosthodontists. He focuses on clinical perspective integration and client collaboration, attending dental symposiums to advance techniques while maintaining hands-on quality control.
Jamie Bartley
Owner/Lab Technician
Jamie brings military precision to quality control as co-founder, applying Air Force training in dental laboratory science. He manages production workflow and ensures technical excellence, leveraging dual expertise in dental technology and business management to maintain operational efficiency.
Samantha Bergeron
Office Manager
A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Sam oversees logistics and client communications. Her military organizational skills ensure seamless shipping/receiving operations, while her business degree supports strategic planning. She maintains the lab's commitment to efficient, transparent practice partnerships.
Dana Darnell
Implant Coordinator
Dana manages the scan department with clinical laboratory expertise, ensuring digital cases meet technical specifications. Her healthcare background enables effective communication between dental teams and the lab, maintaining quality control for CAD/CAM restorations since joining in 2015.
Questions
What dental restorations does Gator Ceramics specialize in?
We specialize in crowns, bridges, veneers, custom implant abutments, and full-cast restorations using materials like zirconia, lithium disilicate, and precious metals.
How does Gator Ceramics ensure restoration accuracy?
We use Cadent iTero digital impression systems for precise 3D modeling and employ magnification-assisted finishing to guarantee sub-micron precision in every restoration.
Can out-of-state dentists partner with Gator Ceramics?
Yes, we serve dentists nationwide with secure digital file transmission and expedited shipping for physical models and restorations.
What materials are available for crowns?
We offer zirconia, lithium disilicate, porcelain-fused-to-metal, and full-cast options in various metal compositions from 2% white gold to 77% yellow gold.
How quickly are restorations completed?
Most cases are completed within 5-7 business days, with urgent requests accommodated through our priority production schedule.
