FAQ
What should I look for in a dental lab?
A straight answer first, then the context behind it, from the technicians who do the work.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Prioritize turnaround time with a written SLA, a documented remake rate under 3%, direct technician communication on each case, and a digital workflow that accepts intraoral scans. Secondary criteria: in-house milling versus outsourced, shade-matching track record on anterior cases, and whether the lab can join case planning on complex implant or full-arch work before you submit the first impression.
THE CONTEXT
What sits behind it
For a general dentist, the biggest hidden cost at a slow or unreliable lab is chair time lost to remakes and delayed deliveries. A lab worth staying with quotes turnaround in business days per restoration type, not vague weekly windows, and assigns a named technician to your account so questions get answered in hours. When a crown comes back with a poor marginal fit, you want to reach the person who built it, not a customer service queue.
Prosthodontists and oral surgeons need more from a lab partner than fast turnaround. Complex full-arch cases and implant-supported prosthetics require collaborative case planning before fabrication begins. Ask whether the lab reviews CBCT data, can discuss emergence profiles on custom abutments, and will flag fit or occlusion concerns before shipping. A lab that only executes prescriptions without technical input is a liability on cases with narrow tolerances.
Digital compatibility matters more every year. Confirm the lab accepts STL files from your intraoral scanner without a conversion fee, runs milling in-house rather than routing to a third-party center, and uses a documented CAD design protocol. Outsourced milling adds a handoff that introduces fit variability. In-house control over the full digital chain, from scan file to sintered restoration, keeps quality consistent case to case.
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What should I look for in a dental lab?
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This question 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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