ANSWERS

How to communicate restorative cases to a dental lab

Communicate restorative cases by sending a written Rx with tooth number, material, shade, and margin design, plus an intraoral scan or PVS impression, a full-arch opposing, a bite registration, and clinical photos showing shade tabs at the gingival third. Note occlusion, parafunction, and patient esthetic goals.

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Why it works this way

Start with a written prescription, not a phone call

The American Dental Association's 2023 Dental Laboratory Relationship guidelines list the prescription as the legal record of the case. Every restorative case sent to Dani Dental opens with a written Rx specifying tooth number (Universal numbering), restoration type, material (e.g., monolithic zirconia 1200 MPa, lithium disilicate, layered PFM), shade system and target shade, margin design (chamfer, shoulder, feather), and due date. Verbal instructions get lost between bench and CAD station. Written instructions do not.

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What information should be on a dental lab prescription?

A complete dental lab Rx includes patient identifier, tooth number in Universal numbering, restoration type, material specification (including MPa rating for zirconia), shade system and target shade, margin design, occlusal contact preference, pontic design for bridges, due date, and dentist signature. Add clinical notes for parafunction, esthetic requests, and any planned future treatment on adjacent teeth. Missing material specification and margin design are the two most common omissions that delay cases at the lab.

How do you photograph shade for a dental lab?

Capture three shots minimum: a shade tab held edge-to-edge against the adjacent natural tooth at the gingival third, a retracted full-arch shot showing the prep in context, and a polarized photo if your camera supports it. Shoot under consistent lighting (operatory LED is fine, just note it) with the teeth hydrated. For anterior cases, take photos before the prep to capture the original tooth's character, value, and translucency, then send all images with the case file.

When should a dentist call the lab versus send written notes?

Send written notes for routine specifications: material, shade, margin, occlusion. Call the lab for anterior esthetic cases requiring character matching, full-arch cases with custom shade layering, complex implant cases needing emergence profile review, or any case where the patient has specific shape or length requests that need ceramist input. Dani Dental's named-technician workflow means the call goes directly to the person on the bench, not a front-desk relay.

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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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