Capture and prescribe
Clinical records and the restorative prescription establish the starting point. Digital scans can come from intraoral capture or laboratory scanning. A designer needs the records appropriate to the indication and clear instructions about the case stage.
Design in CAD
CAD creates a digital restoration or setup using the supplied geometry and instructions. The lab’s material, component and design preferences inform the work. Reference records may guide tooth position or form; they need an identified approval status.
Review before manufacturing
The appropriate team checks the design against the brief and intended production process. Resolve missing information and identify the approved version before release. A realistic render is a communication view, not evidence that the restoration will fit clinically.
Prepare production in CAM
CAM prepares manufacturing operations for the receiving system. The route can involve milling, printing or other validated processes depending on the restoration. A design mesh is not a universal machine program; the production team confirms material, tooling and applicable requirements.
Finish, verify and deliver
Finishing and verification occur outside the CAD view and affect the physical result. Feedback from production can refine future design preferences. When outsourcing only CAD, the lab keeps the manufacturing and finishing stages and should describe that workflow in the initial brief.
Prepared by Pristine Dental Design · October 6, 2026. Workflow guidance for dental professionals. Case-specific instructions and receiving-team approval govern actual design and production.