ANSWERS

What records does a dental lab need?

A dental lab needs the prescription (Rx) with case details, impressions or intraoral scans (STL files), bite registration, shade selection, and opposing arch records. For implant cases, add CBCT scans, scan bodies, and implant system specifics.

THE SHORT ANSWER

THE FULL PICTURE

Why it works this way

The Core Records Every Case Needs

Every case Dani Dental accepts since opening in Arizona in 1993 starts with the same baseline records: a signed prescription naming the restoration type, material, and shade; impressions or intraoral scan files (STL or PLY format from 3Shape, iTero, Medit, Primescan, or Trios); a bite registration; and an opposing arch impression or scan. Without all four, the case sits in pre-production until the prescribing office confirms the missing piece.

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Can I send digital scans instead of physical impressions?

Yes. Dani Dental accepts STL and PLY files from 3Shape Trios, iTero, Medit i500 and i700, Primescan, Carestream, and Aoralscan. Upload through the lab portal or send via the scanner manufacturer's cloud. Digital scans typically cut a full day off turnaround compared to shipping physical impressions, and they remove the model-pour variability that causes margin discrepancies. For implant cases, scan bodies must be captured in the same scan session.

What happens if records are incomplete when the case arrives?

The case is held in pre-production and the prescribing office is contacted within 4 business hours by the assigned technician, not a generic call center. Most missing records (shade notes, opposing scans, implant platform confirmation) are resolved same-day with a phone call or follow-up scan. Dani Dental does not silently proceed with assumptions on incomplete cases, because the remake cost falls on the practice's chair time, not just the lab.

Do I need to send a CBCT for every implant case?

CBCT in DICOM format is required for any surgical guide fabrication and strongly recommended for full-arch All-on-X planning. For single-tooth implant crowns where the surgeon has already placed the implant and the case is purely restorative, a scan body capture plus intraoral scan is sufficient. The Rx should still note the implant system, platform, and torque specifications so the abutment design matches the placed fixture.

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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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