COIMBATORE: Patients visiting the newly opened multi-speciality dental centre at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for tooth restoration are being turned away as the facility does not have a dental mechanic to fabricate artificial teeth, hospital sources said.
The metal-ceramic unit at the centre, though equipped with furnaces, casting machines and scanners, remains unused due to the absence of a technician. Staff at the centre confirmed the issue when TNIE visited the facility on Tuesday.
The health department had set up multi-speciality dental centres at four government medical college hospitals, including CMCH, to provide specialised dental care on a par with private facilities. The Coimbatore centre was inaugurated by former health minister Ma Subramanian in February 2026.
However, the metal-ceramic unit is unable to offer tooth restoration services as there is no staff to fabricate customised porcelain and ceramic prosthetics, sources said.
Mani, a resident of Raja Street in Coimbatore, said two of his front teeth had been replaced with prosthetics six months ago, but one recently broke.
“I visited the centre twice last week to get it replaced. I was told to either approach a private clinic or wait until a technician is appointed,” he said.
A metal-ceramic unit is used to make durable and relatively affordable restorations for damaged, cracked or root-canal-treated teeth. Dental mechanics are required to fabricate crowns and other ceramic restorations using metal bases for strength and porcelain layers.
According to hospital sources, the lone dental mechanic at CMCH was transferred on deputation to the Government Dental College and Hospital in Pudukkottai.
“There are three sanctioned posts of dental mechanic at CMCH. Earlier, one technician was managing the unit. With that post now also vacant, the unit has been stalled,” sources said. Dental mechanics are required for procedures including crown and bridge work following root canal treatment, metal-ceramic crowns and obturators. The latter are custom-made prostheses used to close defects in the upper jaw, particularly in cancer patients and those with cleft lip and palate.
Health officials said steps were being taken to fill the vacancies at the earliest.
“The technician post is vacant. The ceramic lab is not yet established. We have received the instruments for the same, partly. The lab needs a lot of space, which was originally earmarked in the main op building. But the building is in a dilapidated condition and about to be demolished shortly,” said Dean Dr M Geethanjali
