ANSWERS

What does a prosthodontist look for in a dental lab?

Prosthodontists evaluate a dental lab on five criteria: case-planning collaboration before the impression, anterior shade-matching accuracy, defensible full-arch timelines (target under 8 weeks on hybrids), named-technician accountability rather than anonymous CAD pipelines, and remake rates published as a number.

THE SHORT ANSWER

THE FULL PICTURE

Why it works this way

The five criteria that actually matter

Prosthodontists route the most technically demanding cases in dentistry: full-arch hybrids, complex anterior esthetics, implant-retained overdentures, and multi-unit veneer cases where a half-shade miss on tooth #8 kills the case. The lab selection criteria reflect that stakes level. Per the 2023 American College of Prosthodontists membership survey, over 70% of prosthodontists cite lab communication and case-planning collaboration as the top factor in lab retention, ahead of price.

More on this topic

How long should a full-arch hybrid case take at a competent lab?

For an All-on-X or full-arch hybrid, expect a try-in within 3 weeks of the surgical placement and final prosthetic delivery within 8 weeks of the approved try-in. Labs quoting 5 to 8 months on full-arch cases are running batched workflows without dedicated technicians on the case. Dani Dental runs full-arch cases on a named-technician model with published windows per case stage, which is the timeline structure prosthodontists building complex treatment plans need to defend to their patients.

What remake rate is acceptable for prosthodontic cases?

Industry averages on ceramic and implant restorations sit around 4 to 6% per informal ADA lab-quality discussions. Prosthodontists doing high-esthetic anterior work should expect their lab to run under 3%. Dani Dental publishes an under-2.5% remake rate on ceramic and implant cases. The number matters less than whether the lab will tell you what it is; labs that refuse to publish a remake rate are the ones whose rate would embarrass them.

Should the lab technician be involved in treatment planning?

For complex prosthodontic cases (full-arch, multi-unit anterior, implant-retained overdentures), yes. The technician fabricating the case should review the CBCT and intraoral scan with the prosthodontist before fabrication begins. This is the difference between a lab that catches an angulation problem at the planning stage versus one that discovers it at try-in and costs the practice 4 weeks. At Dani Dental every implant and full-arch case gets a named technician on the planning call.

GO DEEPER

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.

Read the guide

REQUEST A DOCTOR KIT

Try the work before you switch.

Request a Doctor Kit and we'll mail RX pads, a shade guide, and pre-paid shipping for your first three cases. No call, no contract.

Request a Doctor Kit Talk to a technician