A shade guide is a set of color samples used to match the color of natural teeth. It helps dental teams choose a tooth-colored material that blends with nearby enamel and dentin. A shade guide is commonly used for fillings, crowns, veneers, bonding, and denture teeth selection. Some shade guides are physical “tabs,” while others are digital systems built into scanners or cameras.
shade selection is the process of choosing a tooth color match for a dental restoration. It helps restorations blend with natural teeth in brightness and color tone. It is commonly used for tooth-colored fillings, crowns, veneers, bonding, and dentures. It can be done visually with shade guides or with digital devices.
glazing is a finishing step that creates a smooth, glass-like surface on a dental restoration. It is most commonly associated with ceramic restorations (porcelain or other dental ceramics) and with surface sealants placed over resin materials. The goal is usually a cleaner surface texture, a stable shine, and a surface that is easier to keep free of plaque. In practice, glazing may be done in a dental laboratory, in-office with a furnace, or chairside with a light-cured resin “glaze.”
sintering is a manufacturing process that turns compacted powder into a dense, solid structure using controlled heat. It is widely used to make strong dental ceramics and metals, especially zirconia crowns and bridges. In dentistry, it usually happens in a laboratory or milling center, not directly in the mouth. The goal is a restoration with predictable fit, strength, and durability based on the chosen material system.
A resin printer is a type of 3D printer that makes objects by curing (hardening) liquid resin with light. In dentistry, it is commonly used to produce highly detailed parts such as models, surgical guides, and temporary restorations. The “resin” is a light-activated plastic-like material, and the printer builds the object in thin layers. Dental clinics and labs use resin printer workflows as part of digital dentistry (intraoral scanning, CAD design, and fabrication).
3D printing is a way to make an object by building it layer by layer from a digital design. In dentistry, it is commonly used to create models, surgical guides, temporary restorations, dentures, and orthodontic appliances. It often starts with a digital scan of the mouth and computer-based design. The printed part is then cleaned, cured, and finished before being tried in or placed.
A **milling unit** is a computer-controlled machine that shapes dental materials by cutting (milling) them into a planned design. It is commonly used in **CAD/CAM dentistry**, where a digital scan is turned into a physical restoration. A milling unit is often found in dental clinics offering same-day crowns and in dental laboratories producing indirect restorations. In simple terms, it “carves” a tooth-colored block into a crown, inlay, onlay, veneer, or similar part.
chairside CAD/CAM is a dental workflow where restorations are designed on a computer and made in the dental office the same day. CAD means computer-aided design, and CAM means computer-aided manufacturing. It is commonly used to make crowns, inlays, onlays, and some veneers in a single appointment. It typically combines a digital scan, design software, and an in-office milling unit.
digital dentistry is the use of digital tools (scanners, software, and computer-controlled manufacturing) to plan and deliver dental care. It commonly replaces or complements traditional impressions, stone models, and manual laboratory steps. It is used in restorative dentistry (fillings, crowns), orthodontics (clear aligners), implant dentistry (surgical guides), and prosthodontics (dentures). The goal is to capture, design, and reproduce teeth and oral structures as accurate digital data.
CAD/CAM means computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing. In dentistry, it is a digital way to design and make restorations such as crowns, inlays, onlays, and veneers. It often uses an intraoral scanner (a small camera) instead of traditional impression trays. CAD/CAM is commonly used in dental offices (chairside) and dental laboratories.