The invention relates to a method for processing a dental material (28), in particular pressing and curing a dental material, by means of —a molding insert (30) that has a pre-pressing area (22) which adjoins a molding area (14, 16), wherein the pre-pressing area (22) is designed to receive the dental material (28), and —a pressing furnace with a firing chamber (10) for receiving the molding insert (30). The method has the following steps: —introducing the dental material (28) into the pre-pressing chamber (22); —heating the firing chamber (10), in which the molding insert (30) is located, to a first temperature; —pressing the dental material (28) into the molding area (14, 16) using a pressing punch (26) by applying a force onto the pressing punch (26) during a first processing phase, wherein the pressing punch (26) is moved, and the pressing punch speed is detected as a speed profile dependent on the time; and —adjusting the firing chamber (10), in particular cooling the firing chamber to a second temperature, during a second processing phase starting at a point in time at which the detected speed profile matches a first speed profile without reducing the force applied to the pressing punch (26).