ANSWERS

How do I send a case to a dental lab?

Send a case to a dental lab by submitting an Rx with patient ID, tooth number, restoration type, shade, and due date, then attaching either physical impressions shipped overnight or an intraoral scan exported as STL or PLY. Most labs accept scans from 3Shape TRIOS, iTero, Medit, and Primescan.

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Why it works this way

The Rx is the case

A dental lab case starts with the prescription form, not the impression. The Rx tells the technician what to make, for which tooth, in what material, at what shade, and by when. Every restoration that arrives at Dani Dental in 2026 includes patient ID, tooth number using the Universal Numbering System (1-32), restoration type, material spec, shade (Vita Classical or 3D-Master), margin design, occlusal clearance notes, and the requested seat date. Missing fields are the single largest cause of case delays industry-wide.

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What file format do dental labs need for digital impressions?

Most dental labs accept STL files as the industry standard, with PLY and OBJ also supported for color and texture data. Dani Dental accepts STL, PLY, and DCM files from all major intraoral scanners including 3Shape TRIOS, iTero, Medit i700, and Primescan. Files upload through the lab case portal or transfer directly via the scanner manufacturer's cloud platform. Keep the original high-resolution export; downsampling to reduce upload time costs margin accuracy below 50 microns.

How long does it take a dental lab to make a crown?

Standard single-unit crown turnaround at Dani Dental runs 7-10 business days from case receipt to ship date, measured in working days excluding weekends and holidays. Zirconia and lithium disilicate (e.max) both fall within that window. Complex anterior cases requiring custom shade matching add 2-3 days. Full-contour monolithic restorations ship faster than layered ceramics. Rush service compresses the timeline when scheduled in advance, not requested mid-case.

Do dental labs accept cases from any scanner brand?

Most modern labs are scanner-agnostic and accept open STL exports from any intraoral scanner sold in North America. Dani Dental works with cases from 3Shape TRIOS, iTero (all generations), Medit i700 and i900, Primescan, Carestream CS 3700 and 3800, and Planmeca Emerald. Closed systems that lock files behind manufacturer software still export STL through the case-sharing workflow. If the scanner is new to the practice, the lab can run a test case to verify the digital handoff before going live.

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Read the full guide on all procedures

This answer is one piece of a larger workflow. The pillar page covers materials, turnaround, and how we build the case to your specification.

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