An interocclusal record is a “bite record” that captures how the upper and lower teeth meet. It is used to transfer a patient’s jaw relationship to a dental laboratory or an articulator (a device that simulates jaw movement). It commonly supports crowns, bridges, dentures, implants, and orthodontic planning. It can be made with materials like wax or silicone, or captured digitally in some workflows.

bite registration is a dental record that captures how the upper and lower teeth fit together when the jaw closes. It helps a dentist or dental lab reproduce your bite (occlusion) outside the mouth. It is commonly used when making crowns, bridges, dentures, aligners, and other restorations. It can be recorded with waxes, elastomeric impression materials, or resin-based materials.

A one-step impression is a dental impression technique where two viscosities of impression material are used at the same time in a single seating. It is commonly used to capture the shape of teeth and gums for crowns, bridges, inlays/onlays, and some implant restorations. “Impression” means a negative mold that records oral structures so a model (cast) or digital workflow can be made. The goal is to record fine details accurately without repeating multiple impression stages.

A two-step impression is a dental molding technique that records the shape of teeth and gums in two stages. The first stage captures the overall form using a thicker material, and the second stage captures fine detail with a thinner “wash” material. It is commonly used when making crowns, bridges, dentures, implant restorations, and some dental appliances. The goal is to produce an accurate replica of the mouth that a lab or clinic can use to make a fitted dental restoration.

A wash impression is a dental impression technique that uses a low-viscosity (“wash”) material to capture fine surface detail. It is commonly paired with a thicker “tray” or “putty” material that supports the wash layer. Dentists use it most often to record prepared teeth and gums before crowns, bridges, and similar restorations. The goal is a detailed, accurate mold that a dental lab can use to make a well-fitting restoration.

tray adhesive is a dental material used to help an impression material stick to an impression tray. It is commonly used when taking dental impressions for crowns, bridges, dentures, aligners, and other appliances. Its role is to improve retention between the tray and the impression material during removal from the mouth. Different tray adhesive products are matched to different impression materials and tray types.

A stock tray is a pre-made dental impression tray that comes in standard sizes and shapes. It is used to carry impression material into the mouth so a mold of teeth and gums can be recorded. Clinics commonly use a stock tray for preliminary impressions and many routine restorative and prosthodontic steps. It is different from a custom tray, which is fabricated for one specific patient.

A custom tray is a dental impression tray made for one specific patient and one specific arch or area. It is designed on a model of the patient’s mouth to control the thickness and accuracy of impression material. custom tray is commonly used in prosthodontics (dentures, crowns, bridges), implant dentistry, and some specialty procedures. It can also describe patient-worn trays, such as bleaching or fluoride trays, depending on clinical context.

An impression tray is a dental tool that holds impression material while it records the shape of teeth and gums. It is placed in the mouth to capture a negative mold that can be used to make models, restorations, or appliances. impression tray use is common in general dentistry, prosthodontics, orthodontics, and oral surgery planning. Trays can be pre-made (stock) or made specifically for a patient (custom).

An intraoral scanner is a handheld dental device that captures a digital 3D model of teeth and gums. It replaces, or reduces the need for, traditional “putty” impressions in many situations. It is commonly used in general dentistry, orthodontics, prosthodontics, and implant workflows. The scan becomes a computer file that can be used for diagnosis, treatment planning, and making dental appliances.