Dental Laboratories Industry Terminology

Abutment

A connector that supports and retains a prosthesis; in implants, it connects the implant fixture to the restoration (custom or stock).

- Please design a custom titanium abutment for #30 with 1 mm supragingival margins. - We received the scan body file; we’ll mill the zirconia abutment and provide a Ti-base. - The case requires a screw-retained crown, so we’ll use a multi-unit abutment platform.

Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)

Layer-by-layer fabricating of parts from digital files. In labs, used for models, splints, patterns, and some definitive devices with biocompatible resins.

- Print the diagnostic models in grey model resin at 100 μm layer thickness. - We’ll 3D print the RPD framework patterns and cast in Co-Cr. - The lab uses DLP printers for splints and try-in dentures.

Alloy (Cobalt-Chromium)

A base metal alloy (often Co-Cr-Mo) used for PFMs, RPD frameworks, and milled or printed substructures due to strength and corrosion resistance.

- Cast the PFM framework in Co-Cr to control cost. - The RPD framework will be printed in Co-Cr and finished by hand. - Verify the Co-Cr alloy’s batch number for traceability.

Analog Impression

A conventional impression captured with elastomeric or alginate materials, often including implant impression copings, later poured in stone to create models.

- Use PVS to take a full-arch analog impression with an open-tray implant coping. - We poured the alginate impression immediately to avoid distortion. - The analog impression will be digitized via desktop scanning.

Articulator

A mechanical device representing the jaws, used to simulate mandibular movements and evaluate occlusion of restorations on mounted models.

- Mount the maxillary cast using the facebow on a semi-adjustable articulator. - We’ll program the articulator with the patient’s condylar guidance. - The articulator helps verify protrusive and lateral contacts.

Batch Number

A unique identifier assigned to a specific production run of materials (e.g., zirconia discs, resins, alloys) for traceability and quality control.

- Record the zirconia puck batch number on the lab slip. - The resin failed biocompatibility audit; check the batch used last month. - Batch numbers support material traceability for ISO compliance.

Biocompatibility

The ability of a material to perform with an appropriate host response; ensures safety and non-toxicity when used intraorally.

- Select a Class IIa biocompatible resin for long-term intraoral splints. - The IFU cites ISO 10993 testing for biocompatibility. - We rejected the pigment because it lacks biocompatibility certification.

Bruxism

Involuntary grinding or clenching of teeth that influences material selection, occlusal design, and indications for protective appliances.

- Indicate heavy bruxism; we’ll choose full-strength monolithic zirconia. - The bruxer requires a night guard to protect restorations. - Increase occlusal thickness due to bruxing habits.

Burnout

Heating invested patterns to eliminate wax/resin prior to casting or pressing, ensuring clean molds and proper casting results.

- Follow a slow burnout cycle to eliminate resin ash before casting. - Incomplete burnout caused porosity in the casting. - Schedule the oven for overnight burnout of wax patterns.

CAD (Computer-Aided Design)

Digital design of restorations and appliances using specialized software, defining anatomy, contacts, margins, and material parameters.

- We’ll CAD the crown with 100 μm cement space and 1.5 mm occlusal thickness. - Margin marking in CAD is critical for a precise fit. - The CAD software’s library contains the implant system’s scan bodies.

CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing)

Computer-driven manufacturing processes such as milling and toolpath generation, converting CAD designs into physical parts.

- Generate CAM toolpaths with a 0.6 mm bur for fine details. - The CAM strategy compensates for zirconia shrinkage factors. - We’ll schedule the CAM nesting for tonight’s milling run.

CAD/CAM Workflow

The integrated digital chain from scanning to design to manufacturing (milling/printing), including data formats, nesting, and post-processing.

- The clinic-to-lab CAD/CAM workflow uses STL files and open architecture. - We standardized our CAD/CAM workflow to reduce remakes. - Adding AI auto-margin improves the digital workflow’s efficiency.

Cementation

The process and materials used to lute restorations to tooth structure or abutments; design choices account for cement space and retrieval needs.

- Please specify resin cement vs. RMGI on the Rx for cementation. - Increase cement space to 120 μm for easier cementation. - The case is screw-retained to avoid cementation risks.

Chain of Custody

Documented tracking of a case and materials through all handling stages to ensure traceability, compliance, and quality assurance.

- Scan receiving logs to maintain chain of custody for each case. - The chain of custody documents all material batch numbers used. - Couriers sign to preserve chain of custody from clinic to lab.

Chairside

Activities performed in the dental operatory; often refers to in-office scanning, milling, shade matching, and immediate adjustments.

- We offer chairside shade matching for anterior veneers. - The DSO runs chairside milling; we provide design support. - Chairside adjustments were minimal due to accurate occlusion.

Coping

A substructure that supports veneering porcelain or composite in PFMs or layered zirconia restorations.

- Design a thin zirconia coping for porcelain layering. - The PFM coping was checked for passive fit before porcelain application. - We adjusted coping thickness to avoid overbulking the veneer layer.

Crown

A full-coverage restoration that caps a prepared tooth or abutment, fabricated in materials like zirconia, lithium disilicate, or metal-ceramic.

- Request full-contour monolithic zirconia for #19. - The lithium disilicate crown will be stained and glazed for translucency. - Verify proximal contacts before shipping the crown.

Curing (Light/Heat)

Polymerization of resins via light or heat to achieve final mechanical and biocompatible properties per material instructions.

- Post-cure printed splints per IFU to achieve final properties. - Insufficient light curing led to surface tackiness. - Heat-curing resin improves wear resistance of long-term devices.

Custom Tray

An individualized impression tray made to fit a patient’s arch precisely, improving impression accuracy and material control.

- Fabricate a custom tray with 2 mm spacer for PVS. - The custom tray improves impression accuracy on multiple abutments. - Deliver the tray with adhesive compatible with the impression material.

Degassing

A pre-porcelain heat treatment of metal frameworks to remove gases and contaminants, improving bond and color of veneering porcelain.

- Degas the metal framework before porcelain application. - Skipping degassing caused porcelain discoloration. - Follow the alloy manufacturer’s degassing cycle recommendations.

Die

A positive replica of a prepared tooth (analog or printed), used to evaluate margins, contacts, and fit during fabrication.

- We 3D printed dies from the digital impression for margin evaluation. - The stone die shows a slight undercut near the margin. - Please return the trimmed dies with the final prosthesis.

Digital Impression

An intraoral scan capturing the dentition in a digital format (e.g., STL), replacing or complementing traditional impressions.

- Send the upper arch as an STL with separate bite scan. - The digital impression captured subgingival margins poorly; consider retraction. - We merged the IOS files for a cross-arch splint design.

Digital Smile Design (DSD)

A digital planning protocol to visualize and design esthetics and tooth proportions using facial and dental images, sometimes linked to 3D mock-ups.

- We’ll create a DSD mock-up to align esthetics with facial features. - The patient approved the DSD, so proceed to a diagnostic wax-up. - DSD guides incisal edge position and tooth proportion choices.

DLP (Digital Light Processing)

A 3D printing technology using projected light to polymerize resin layers, known for speed and high resolution in dental applications.

- The DLP printer cures each layer with projected light for speed. - DLP offers crisp models at 50–100 μm resolution. - We validated DLP settings for our splint resin per IFU.

DSO (Dental Support Organization)

Organizations that provide business management and support to affiliated dental practices; often centralize lab relationships and protocols.

- The DSO negotiates lab pricing across its network. - We integrated our portal with the DSO’s case management system. - DSOs often standardize materials to streamline outcomes.

Esthetics (Shade Matching)

The visual harmony of restorations with natural dentition, involving shade, translucency, texture, and characterization techniques.

- Provide stump shade to improve esthetics on thin veneers. - Use VITA 3D-Master for more precise shade matching. - Photographs under neutral lighting reduce metamerism issues.

Facebow

A device that records the spatial relationship of the maxilla to cranial reference points for accurate articulation of casts.

- Use the facebow to mount the maxilla relative to the hinge axis. - The facebow transfer improves occlusal accuracy for full-arch cases. - Without a facebow, we used average value settings on the articulator.

Finish Line (Margin)

The edge of tooth preparation where the restoration meets tooth structure; preparation design influences fit and material choice.

- The prep shows a shoulder margin; we’ll design accordingly. - Mark the finish line clearly in CAD to avoid overhanging edges. - A smooth chamfer margin aids crown seating and fit.

First-Pass Yield (FPY)

A quality metric indicating the percentage of cases completed correctly the first time without rework or remakes.

- Our FPY improved to 92% after implementing QC checkpoints. - Low FPY indicates too many remakes and adjustments. - Track FPY by product line to find bottlenecks.

Fixed Partial Denture (FPD)

A multi-unit prosthesis (bridge) that replaces missing teeth by anchoring to abutment teeth or implants.

- Design a three-unit FPD from #3 to #5 with a hygienic pontic. - The FPD framework must have adequate connector dimensions. - Verify the FPD’s passive fit on the master model.

Framework

The underlying structure of a prosthesis (RPD, PFM, implant bar) that provides strength and support for veneering or acrylic components.

- The RPD framework will be printed and cast to final finish. - Ensure the PFM framework has uniform porcelain support. - The implant bar framework must be milled for accuracy.

Glaze

A final low-fusing porcelain or surface treatment that provides shine, smoothness, and sealed surface on ceramics.

- After staining, run a final glaze cycle on the zirconia crown. - The glaze improved surface smoothness and luster. - Over-glazing can reduce incisal translucency; use sparingly.

Green State

The pre-sintered, soft stage of zirconia or ceramic blanks where they can be machined and adjusted prior to final sintering.

- Handle presintered zirconia in the green state gently to avoid chipping. - We smooth connectors in the green state before sintering. - Green-state adjustments affect final shrinkage; plan accordingly.

IFU (Instructions for Use)

Manufacturer-provided directions detailing proper handling, processing, and limitations of materials and devices.

- Follow IFU for post-cure times on printed splints. - The IFU specifies sintering temperature and hold times. - Deviating from IFU voids the material warranty.

Implant Analog

A component embedded in a model to replicate the intraoral implant platform, enabling accurate lab fabrication of implant restorations.

- Seat the analog into the printed model using the corresponding implant system. - The analog replicates the implant interface for lab work. - Verify analog position with a verification jig.

Interproximal Contact

The contact area between adjacent teeth/restorations; proper contact strength is essential for function and hygiene.

- Tighten interproximal contacts slightly; doctor will fine-tune chairside. - Blue paper shows light contacts on the mesial; adjust in CAD. - Avoid open contacts to prevent food impaction.

Investing

Enclosing a wax or printed pattern in a refractory investment material to create a mold for casting or pressing.

- Invest the wax pattern with a phosphate-bonded investment. - Improper investing led to surface roughness in the casting. - Follow expansion schedules to match alloy shrinkage.

ISO 13485

An international quality management standard for medical device manufacturing, emphasizing traceability, risk management, and process control.

- Our lab’s QMS is aligned with ISO 13485 requirements. - Supplier audits ensure ISO 13485-compliant materials. - Documentation and traceability are core ISO 13485 elements.

Lithium Disilicate

A glass-ceramic (e.g., e.max) prized for esthetics and strength, used for veneers, inlays, onlays, and some crowns; can be milled or pressed.

- Mill the anterior veneers from lithium disilicate for translucency. - Press the onlay using an ingot that matches A2. - Etch and silanate per IFU before cementation.

Milling Strategy

The set of CAM parameters (tools, passes, feeds, compensation) used to mill restorations, affecting precision and surface quality.

- Adjust step-over and tool sequence to improve intaglio accuracy. - Use a smaller bur for fine fissures in occlusal anatomy. - Our milling strategy reduces chipping in green-state zirconia.

Monolithic

A restoration fabricated from a single material without veneering layers, favored for strength and efficiency.

- Choose monolithic zirconia for a bruxer to avoid chipping. - Monolithic lithium disilicate provides better translucency. - Layering is unnecessary on monolithic posterior units.

Nesting

Arranging digital parts within a disc or block for milling to optimize material usage, shade gradients, and machining outcomes.

- Nest the crowns in a high-translucency zone of the multilayer disc. - Optimize nesting to reduce disc waste and tool wear. - Proper nesting ensures sprue placement away from margins.

Occlusion

The contact relationship between upper and lower teeth during static and dynamic movements; key to function and longevity of prostheses.

- Establish light centric contacts and no working/nonworking interferences. - The articulator shows a high spot in protrusion. - Adjust occlusion to a mutually protected scheme for this case.

Open Architecture (CAD/CAM)

Systems that use standard, interoperable file formats and interfaces, enabling flexibility in scanners, software, and manufacturing.

- We accept open STL and PLY files from most scanners. - Open architecture allows outsourcing to multiple milling centers. - Closed systems limit file export; we prefer open workflows.

PFM (Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal)

A restoration combining a metal substructure with veneered porcelain, balancing strength and esthetics.

- Build an opaque layer over the metal to mask the substructure. - The PFM bridge requires proper metal support under porcelain. - Shade mapping is critical to avoid grey show-through on PFMs.

Shade Guide

A standardized set of tabs representing tooth shades (e.g., VITA Classical, 3D-Master) used for color selection and communication.

- Use VITA Classical A1–D4 for posterior shade selection. - The doctor provided 3D-Master 2M2 with photos. - Shade tabs help communicate characterization needs.

Sintering

Thermal densification of presintered zirconia to achieve final strength, color, and dimensions; involves programmed temperature cycles.

- Sinter the zirconia at 1,500°C following the disc’s IFU. - Improper sintering caused distortion of connectors. - Apply the correct shrink factor during sintering compensation.

STL File

A common 3D mesh file format representing surface geometry used to exchange digital impressions and designs in dental workflows.

- Export the prep as an STL and upload to the portal. - The STL had holes; we repaired the mesh before CAD. - STL lacks color; send PLY for shade mapping if available.

Turnaround Time (TAT)

The promised time from case receipt to delivery; a key operational and service metric for labs and clinics.

- Our standard TAT for zirconia crowns is five business days. - The clinic requested a two-day rush TAT. - Reducing remakes helps maintain promised TATs.

Zirconia

A high-strength ceramic (yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal) available in various translucencies and multilayer discs for crowns and bridges.

- Use multilayer zirconia for gradient esthetics in anterior cases. - High-strength 3Y zirconia suits posterior bruxers. - We’ll stain and glaze the zirconia after sintering.