Blog
Articles on exocad, Blender for Dental, digital workflows and dental technology.
Hardware
Articulator calibration for printed models: why the bite is off
Articulator calibration for printed models: why the bite opens or shifts after mounting, how to check the articulator and the plates and what to fix first.
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Hardware
Split-cast and magnetic plates for 3D printed models
How 3D printed models go into a physical articulator: split-cast plates, magnetic plates, printable articulators and model bases, compared for the dental lab.
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Workflow
How to choose a dental implant brand: the lab's checklist
How to choose a dental implant brand from the prosthetic side: CAD libraries, scan bodies, Ti-bases, original and compatible parts, MDR documents and supply.
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CAD design
Composite injection technique: designing the models in exocad
How the lab designs the wax-up and the printable models for the composite injection technique in exocad, from the scan to a model the clinic can use.
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Hardware
DACOS: 3D printed models on a magnetic articulator plate
What the DACOS system does: magnetic plates for 3D printed models on a physical articulator, libraries for exocad, 3Shape and Blender for Dental, calibration.
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Software
Dental CAD software: the main programs for labs and clinics
Dental CAD software compared for labs and clinics: exocad, 3Shape, inLab, Blender for Dental, DWOS and AI tools, how they are licensed and who each one suits.
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Workflow
Digital workflow consulting for dental labs in South Tyrol
Digital workflow consulting for dental labs in South Tyrol: from scan intake to milling and printing, what an analysis looks at and what changes in the lab.
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CAD design
Digital facebow in exocad: aligning the scans to the articulator
How a digital facebow reaches exocad: scanner transfer, digital facebow data, manual and three-point alignment, photo alignment and the checks before design.
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Workflow
Digital wax-up for direct composite: what the clinic should send
What a clinic should send the lab for a digital wax-up for direct composite: scans, bite, photos, the treatment goal and the approval step before printing.
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CAD design
Angled screw channels in exocad: abutments and bridges
How angled screw channels work in exocad: when the library allows them, how to set the angle, the screws and Ti-bases they need and the design limits.
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Software
exocad support in Bolzano: help on site and remote
exocad support in Bolzano and South Tyrol for dental labs and clinics: remote sessions, help on site on request, libraries, settings, articulators and exports.
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Workflow
Injection technique index: printing the models and the clear key
Printing the models for the injection technique index and making the clear silicone key: resin, base, block-out, tray, injection holes and the usual errors.
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Workflow
Injection technique vs veneers: when the clinic should choose it
Injection technique vs veneers for anterior cases: preparation, reversibility, durability, cost of repairs and the cases where each option fits better.
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Workflow
Milling disc traceability in the lab: batch, MDR and archive
Milling disc traceability for custom-made devices under the MDR: which data to record, how to link a restoration to its disc and lot, how long to keep it.
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Hardware
Mini vats for resin printers: Mini4speed in the dental lab
What Mini4speed mini vats and plates are, which resin printers they fit, what they change for small dental prints and what to check before using them.
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Workflow
Reusing partially milled zirconia discs: nesting and tracking
How to reuse partially milled zirconia discs: storing them, recording what is left, nesting new jobs in the free areas and the limits of shade and layers.
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CAD design
RotoClick model system: facebow and printed models in exocad
What the RotoClick model system does in exocad: the library, the facebow digitized with an intraoral scanner, printed models in the articulator and calibration.
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CAD design
Snap-on smile: designing removable veneers in the dental lab
How the lab designs a snap-on smile, a removable veneer shell over the natural teeth: scans, design, material, retention and when clinicians use it.
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CAD design
Two-layer injection: dentin and enamel models from one wax-up
The two-layer injection technique in exocad: one wax-up, a reduced model for the dentin index, a full model for the enamel index and how to keep them aligned.
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Workflow
How much a wasted zirconia disc costs the lab
Calculate the zirconia disc cost per unit with your own prices: units per disc, leftover material, failed mills, tool wear and what a lost disc really costs.
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Software
AI in dental CAD design today: what really works
AI in dental CAD design today: what exocad and 3Shape Automate offer, where AI proposals save time, where a technician is still needed and how to test it.
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3D printing & laser
3D printing aligner models for thermoforming without distortion
How to 3D print aligner models for thermoforming without distortion: resin choice, hollow or solid models, orientation, curing, heat resistance and labeling.
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Career & business
Blender for Dental course with an accredited instructor
Blender for Dental course with an Accredited Instructor: in person in South Tyrol, live online or on video, from installation to models, guides and iBar.
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Software
Installing Blender for Dental: requirements and setup
How to install Blender for Dental: the right Blender version for each module, online activation, three computers per module and common setup problems.
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CAD design
Blender for Dental surgical guides with the Guide Designer
How Blender for Dental surgical guides are designed with the Guide Designer: 3D Slicer link, CBCT alignment, implant planning, sleeves and guide frames.
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Software
Blender for Dental vs exocad: what B4D does that exocad does not
Blender for Dental vs exocad from an instructor of both: free mesh modeling, custom shapes, licensing and where exocad stays faster for daily lab work.
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Hardware
How to choose a dental 3D printer for your lab
How to choose a dental 3D printer for a lab: printer types compared, validated resins, accuracy, build volume, open or closed system, service and costs.
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Hardware
Dental 3D printing resins: models, temporaries and guides
Which dental 3D printing resins to choose for models, temporary crowns and surgical guides: medical device status, validated printers, post-curing and storage.
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CAD design
Dental CAD design in South Tyrol: outsourced design for labs
Dental CAD design in South Tyrol for labs: how outsourced design from Bolzano works, what to send, files returned and support in Italian, German and English.
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Workflow
Dental lab in Bolzano without a CAD department
A dental lab in Bolzano without a CAD department: how to receive scans, outsource design and production and what to bring in house first.
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Hardware
Post-curing dental resins: mistakes that ruin printed parts
Post-curing dental resins without mistakes: washing, drying, curing units, temperature, nitrogen and glycerin, supports and the checks that keep parts accurate.
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Workflow
Digital workflow for dental clinics in South Tyrol
Digital workflow for dental clinics in South Tyrol, from scan to restoration: what the lab needs, prescription, design, try-in and delivery.
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Software
5 exocad mistakes that slow down your workflow
Five common exocad mistakes that slow down dental lab work: incomplete orders, unchecked scans, old libraries, manual settings and late thickness checks.
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Career & business
exocad course in Bolzano and South Tyrol
exocad course in Bolzano and South Tyrol: in the lab or online, in Italian, German or English, on real cases with an exocad Certified Trainer.
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Software
exocad course: what you really learn in one day of training
What an exocad course can cover in one day: preparation, lab settings, crowns and bridges on real cases, one focus topic and what to practice afterwards.
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Software
exocad DentalDB: organize orders and the case archive
How to use exocad DentalDB to organize orders and the case archive: clients, patients, tooth definitions, notes, project folders, duplicates and backups.
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Software
exocad license and dongle errors: common causes and fixes
exocad license and dongle errors explained: dongle not detected, my.exocad login, modules not activated and versions the license does not cover, with fixes.
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Hardware
exocad on Mac: what works and what exocad supports
Can you run exocad on a Mac? What exocad supports: Windows only, Boot Camp on Intel Macs, no virtual machines or Parallels and no Apple Silicon support.
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CAD design
exocad PartialCAD: designing a removable partial framework
How exocad PartialCAD designs removable partial denture frameworks: survey, relief, clasps, connectors, finish lines, retention and the hardware it needs.
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CAD design
Eggshell temporaries in exocad with the Provisional Module
How to design eggshell temporaries in exocad with the Provisional Module: pre-op scans, eggshell crowns and pontics, anatomic pontics, thickness and printing.
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CAD design
Screw-retained crown on a Ti-base in exocad, step by step
How to design a screw-retained crown on a Ti-base in exocad: DentalDB setup, scan body matching, screw channel, emergence profile, thickness checks and export.
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Software
Updating exocad to a new version without losing settings
How to update exocad to a new version without losing settings: check the license first, install next to the old version, move libraries and test before use.
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Software
exocad vs inLab: which dental CAD fits your lab
exocad vs inLab compared for dental labs: open and closed workflows, modules, implant work, milling and printing integration, licensing and training.
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Workflow
Immediate loading rush cases: handling peaks without hiring
How a dental lab handles immediate loading rush cases and workload peaks without hiring: planning before surgery, ready designs, printing and outsourced CAD.
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Workflow
MDR and implant-compatible design files for dental labs
MDR and implant-compatible design files: what a dental lab needs before scaling custom abutments and bars, from prescriptions to Ti-base limits and records.
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CAD design
Multilayer zirconia: positioning the restoration in the disc
How to position restorations in a multilayer zirconia disc: shade and strength gradients, vertical position, nesting, connectors in bridges and sintering.
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Workflow
Photogrammetry for full-arch implants vs scan bodies
Photogrammetry for full-arch implants explained for labs: how it records implant positions, what studies report on accuracy and how the files reach the CAD.
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Hardware
Resin printer LCD replacement and maintenance for dental labs
Resin printer LCD replacement and routine maintenance for dental labs: signs of a failing screen, vat film, plate leveling, cleaning and a weekly check.
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Software
TruAbutment exocad libraries: install and design guide
TruAbutment exocad libraries explained: TruBase Ti-bases, DS custom abutments, getting the right library, installing it in exocad and split-file parameters.
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Software
Bite-Finder: AI bite correction and jaw motion for exocad
What Bite Finder does for dental labs: one-click AI correction of the scanned bite, patient-specific jaw motion, the exocad integration and how it is priced.
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Web
SEO for dental practices in Italy: what matters on Google
SEO for dental practices in Italy: how Google picks local results, the Business Profile, treatment pages, reviews and the Italian health advertising rules.
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Career & business
Dental technician salary: Italy, Switzerland, Germany, US
Dental technician salary in four countries: Italian collective agreement minimums, the Swiss minimum wage for dental labs and German and US median pay.
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Software
Free dental CAD software: no free DentalCAD, real free options
Free dental CAD software in 2026: why there is no DentalCAD free version and what Blender for Dental, Meshmixer, MeshLab, Dentbird and Blue Sky Plan offer.
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Career & business
Opening a dental lab in Italy: requirements and steps
How to open a dental lab in Italy: professional qualification, VAT number and ATECO code, registration with the Ministry of Health and MDR obligations.
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CAD design
exocad Bar Module: designing implant bars step by step
How implant bars are designed in the exocad Bar Module: pillars and segments, bar profiles, planes and insertion axis, attachments and superstructures.
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CAD design
exocad cement gap settings: crown bottom parameters explained
What each exocad cement gap and crown bottom parameter does: gap zones, axial and radial spacing, crown border, undercut block-out and milling compensation.
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Software
exocad shortcuts and hotkeys: the keys worth learning
exocad shortcuts and hotkeys from the official list: 3D navigation, show and hide groups, wizard, margin detection, free-forming and putting them on a keypad.
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CAD design
exocad Smile Creator: smile design from photo to mock-up
exocad Smile Creator step by step: align photos and face scans, set the lip line and guidelines, model teeth in 2D and 3D, then export the report and mock-up.
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CAD design
Zirconia minimum thickness and connector size for CAD design
Zirconia minimum thickness and connector size from manufacturer instructions: why translucent zirconia needs more, example values and how to check in exocad.
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CAD design
exocad Bite Splint module: occlusal splint design step by step
How to design an occlusal splint in the exocad Bite Splint module: scans and bite, border and thickness, contacts and guidance, then printing or milling it.
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CAD design
exocad Full Denture module: the digital denture workflow
How digital dentures are designed in the exocad Full Denture module: model analysis, tooth setup, denture base and milled, printed or monolithic output.
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CAD design
3D printed dental models with exocad Model Creator
How exocad Model Creator turns scans into 3D printed dental models: plate or plateless bases, removable dies, implant analogs, gingiva masks, printing.
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CAD design
Surgical guides in exoplan: how Guide Creator works
How surgical guides are designed in exoplan with Guide Creator: implant planning, sleeve or sleeveless protocols, drill kits, anchor pins and libraries.
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Workflow
Implant scan body scanning tips for accurate impressions
Implant scan body scanning tips from the dental lab: preparation, capture, the errors that cause misfit and the checks to run before sending the case.
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Workflow
Intraoral scan checklist: what the dental lab needs
An intraoral scan checklist from the dental lab: margins, bite, antagonist, pre-op scans, photos and order details that make CAD design quick and remakes rare.
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Software
Remote exocad support: how a session works and how to prepare
Remote exocad support explained: which problems can be fixed from a distance, how to prepare the workstation and how to keep a remote desktop session secure.
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Hardware
Dental resin 3D printing: exposure and material calibration
Resin printer exposure calibration for MSLA and LCD dental printers: normal and bottom exposure, rest time, test brackets and validated dental resins.
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Workflow
STL vs PLY vs OBJ: 3D file formats in digital dentistry
STL, PLY, OBJ and 3MF compared for digital dentistry: what each dental file format stores, why color and units matter and which to use for scans and designs.
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Hardware
Stream Deck for exocad: one-touch shortcuts for dental CAD
How to use an Elgato Stream Deck for exocad and Zirkonzahn: which shortcuts to put on the keys, how to organize profiles and free profiles to download.
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Workflow
Tooth numbering systems: FDI, Universal and Palmer chart
FDI, Universal and Palmer tooth numbering explained, with a conversion chart for permanent and primary teeth and how to avoid mix-ups in digital lab orders.
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Web
Website redesign: when it pays off and how to do it right
When a website redesign pays off, the signs that it is time to rebuild and how to redesign a site without losing SEO rankings and traffic.
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Web
Website maintenance: what it includes and why it matters
What website maintenance is, what it covers across updates, security, backups and performance and how to tell whether your website needs it.
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3D printing & laser
Laser engraving in Bolzano: materials, uses and how to order
Laser engraving in Bolzano on wood, metal, plastic and leather: what can be personalized, lead times and costs, with production through local partners.
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3D printing & laser
3D printing in Bolzano: how it works and when it pays off
Custom 3D printing in Bolzano: materials, typical lead times and costs and how a part is designed ready for production with local partners in South Tyrol.
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CAD design
Monolithic zirconia crowns in exocad: a design workflow
An exocad design workflow for monolithic zirconia crowns: margin and insertion axis, cement gap, tool compensation, minimum thickness and CAM handover.
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CAD design
exocad virtual articulator and jaw motion: a practical guide
How the exocad virtual articulator and Jaw Motion Import module work, when dynamic occlusion matters and how to transfer a physical articulator setup.
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Software
exocad vs 3Shape vs Blender for Dental: which CAD to learn
exocad vs 3Shape vs Blender for Dental compared by a certified trainer: licensing, openness, learning curve and which dental CAD fits a lab or freelancer.
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Career & business
Outsourcing dental CAD design: how it works and when it pays
Outsourcing dental CAD design for labs and clinics: what to send, what comes back, costs compared with an in-house seat and how to start without investment.
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Career & business
How to become a dental technician in Italy (odontotecnico)
How to become a dental technician in Italy: the odontotecnico diploma, the state qualification exam and lab registration with the Ministry of Health.
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Career & business
How to become a dental CAD designer: skills, software, work
How to become a dental CAD designer: the dental knowledge you need, which software to learn first, building a portfolio and finding remote design work.
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CAD design
iBar system in Blender for Dental: Toronto bridge design
How the B4D iBar system designs a Toronto bridge in Blender for Dental: bar and superstructure as separate parts, design sequence, materials, common errors.
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Software
exocad licenses: perpetual vs Flex, which fits your lab
exocad licenses compared: a perpetual license with an optional upgrade contract, or the Flex subscription. Costs over time, modules, updates and fit.
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Workflow
iPhone face scan for smile design in exocad and other CAD
How an iPhone face scan from an app such as Qlone Dental Pro fits smile design in exocad and other CAD: capture, alignment with intraoral scans, limits.
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Workflow
exocad .constructionInfo file: what it contains and why
What the exocad constructionInfo XML file contains, why CAM software and milling centers use it and how to keep it with the STL files from CAD to production.
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Hardware
exocad system requirements: PC, GPU and RAM for DentalCAD
exocad system requirements in practice: the graphics card, CPU, RAM and storage that keep DentalCAD smooth, three sample builds and what to check first.
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Hardware
3D mouse for exocad: setting up a SpaceMouse for dental CAD
What a 3D mouse for exocad changes in daily dental CAD work, how to set up a SpaceMouse driver and buttons and free ready-made profiles to download.
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Software
Dentbird Crown review: AI crown design for labs and clinics
A dental CAD designer reviews Dentbird Crown, the browser-based AI crown design tool: where it saves time, where it falls short and how to use it safely.
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Software
Blue Sky Plan: free implant planning, pay per export
How Blue Sky Plan works for implant planning and surgical guide design: free to download and plan, paid per export and what to check before printing.
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CAD design
Implant abutment types: Ti-base, custom or multi-unit
Implant abutment types from a CAD designer's view: stock, Ti-base, custom milled and multi-unit abutments, when each fits and what to check before design.
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CAD design
Digital smile design in the dental lab: photos to mock-up
How a dental lab runs digital smile design: the photos and scans it needs, natural tooth proportions, the 3D wax-up, the mock-up and gingival changes.
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Software
exocad implant library download: install it and fix errors
exocad implant library download from safe sources, where libraries go in DentalCAD and exoplan, how to install them and fix the double folder error.
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Hardware
iTero NIRI explained: near-infrared caries detection
What iTero NIRI near-infrared imaging shows, how it supports interproximal caries detection, its limits and what it means for the dental lab.
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Software
Meshmixer for dental work: status and alternatives in 2026
Autodesk no longer develops Meshmixer. What dental labs used it for, the risks of keeping it and Meshmixer alternatives for model editing and repair.
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Workflow
How to send intraoral scans to my lab from scanner portals
Send intraoral scans to a dental lab from Sirona Connect, 3Shape Communicate, Medit Link, Shining 3D Dental Cloud or exocad dentalshare, step by step.