Dental Laboratories Glossary
105 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
Implant Abutment Torque
The rotational force, measured in Newton-centimetres, applied when tightening an abutment screw onto a dental implant to achieve proper seating and prevent loosening.
abutment
A natural tooth, implant, or prosthetic component that supports or anchors a fixed or removable dental prosthesis.
all-on-4
A full-arch implant treatment concept in which a complete dental prosthesis is supported by four strategically placed im...
analog (implant)
A replica component that mimics the shape and dimensions of a dental implant body, used in the dental laboratory to repl...
anatomical crown
The portion of a tooth covered by enamel, used as the morphological reference when designing the coronal contours of a d...
articulator
A mechanical device that simulates jaw movement and holds dental casts in their correct spatial relationship for laborat...
Baseplate
A rigid or semi-rigid temporary foundation placed on an edentulous cast to support occlusal rims during the clinical rec...
bite registration
A record of the occlusal relationship between the maxillary and mandibular arches, taken with a registrant material and...
Bonding Agent
A chemical adhesive used in dental laboratories to promote adhesion between a porcelain or composite material and a meta...
buccal corridor
The dark space visible between the buccal surfaces of the posterior teeth and the corners of the lips during a smile, as...
CAD/CAM
Abbreviation for Computer-Aided Design / Computer-Aided Manufacturing, the digital workflow used to design and mill dent...
cameo surface
The external, polished, and visible surface of a denture, as opposed to the intaglio (tissue-facing) surface.
cast metal framework
A rigid skeletal structure cast in a cobalt-chromium or gold alloy that forms the metal substructure of a removable part...
CBCT
Cone Beam Computed Tomography; a three-dimensional dental imaging modality used to assess bone volume, implant positioni...
cement-retained prosthesis
An implant-supported restoration that is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a prefabricated or custom abutment u...
chairside adjustment
Any modification to a prosthetic restoration made by the clinician in the dental surgery, as opposed to laboratory remak...
clasp assembly
The combination of a retentive clasp arm, reciprocal arm, and rest that engages a natural tooth to retain and stabilise...
connector
The portion of a fixed partial denture that joins the retainer to the pontic, either rigidly or non-rigidly.
connector bar
A rigid or semi-rigid metal bar that joins two or more implant abutments, distributing occlusal forces across the implan...
coping
A thin, precisely fitted cap of metal, ceramic, or zirconia that forms the inner substructure of a dental crown before v...
crown-to-implant ratio
The proportional relationship between the length of the prosthetic crown and the length of the implant fixture embedded...
custom tray
An individually fabricated impression tray made to a patient's specific arch form, used to take a precise final impressi...
degassing
A pre-oxidation firing cycle applied to metal alloy frameworks in the dental laboratory to clean the surface and promote...
denture base resin
The polymeric material, most commonly heat-cured or auto-polymerised acrylic, used to form the tissue-bearing plate of a...
denture flange
The portion of a denture base that extends from the cervical areas of the artificial teeth to the border of the denture,...