Glossary

Dental lab terms, explained

Plain-English definitions for dental technology, GST, and DentNode terminology.

CAD/CAM: Computer-Aided Design / Computer-Aided Manufacturing. The digital workflow for designing and milling crowns, bridges, and other restorations. 3Shape, exocad, and Dental Wings are common CAD software. Zirconia mills are the most common CAM equipment in Indian labs.
Intraoral Scanner (IOS): A handheld wand that captures a 3D digital impression of a patient's mouth. Replaces traditional alginate impressions. Common brands: iTero (Align Technology), 3Shape Trios, Medit i700, Dentsply Sirona Primescan.
STL file: Standard Tessellation Language. The standard file format for 3D dental scan data. When a dentist scans with an intraoral scanner and sends the case to your lab, the file is usually an STL.
Zirconia: Zirconium oxide — the most common material for full-contour crowns and bridges in modern dental labs. High strength, tooth-coloured, mills cleanly. Comes in blocks or discs that are milled and then sintered (heated) to full density.
e.max: IPS e.max — a lithium disilicate ceramic by Ivoclar. Used for high-aesthetics single crowns and veneers. Available as ingots (for pressing) or CAD blocks (for milling).
Margin / Finish line: The edge of a crown preparation — where the crown meets the tooth. Accurate margin detection is critical: a poor margin means the crown won't fit and will need a remake. LabyAI checks margins automatically on every scan.
Occlusion: How the upper and lower teeth meet when biting. A crown with poor occlusion causes bite problems for the patient. Checking occlusion in 3D before milling is one of LabyAI's key functions.
Remake / Redo: A case that has to be redone because it didn't fit or meet clinical requirements. The single biggest cost for most dental labs — typically ₹800–4,000 per remake depending on case type.
Case turnaround time (TAT): How long it takes from receiving a case to delivering the finished restoration. Average Indian lab TAT: 3–7 days for a crown, 10–14 days for complex cases.
Fielder: DentNode term for a field staff member who handles case pickup and delivery between labs and clinics. Also called a lab boy, courier, or delivery agent in different regions.
GSTIN: Goods and Services Tax Identification Number — the 15-digit number assigned to a GST-registered business in India. Required for issuing GST-compliant invoices.
GSTR-1: Monthly or quarterly return filed by GST-registered businesses declaring all outward supplies (sales). For a dental lab, this lists every invoice raised during the period. DentNode exports GSTR-1 data directly to Tally.
IRN: Invoice Reference Number — a unique number generated by the GST e-invoicing system (IRP) for businesses above the e-invoicing turnover threshold. DentNode generates IRN + QR codes for eligible labs.
HSN Code (for dental prosthetics): The Harmonised System of Nomenclature code for dental prosthetics is 9021. This is the HSN code that should appear on dental lab invoices for GST purposes.
LabyAI: DentNode's AI system that automatically checks incoming scans for margin errors, occlusion issues, and design clearance problems. Runs in 3 seconds per scan, trained on 80,000+ real lab cases.
Workflow Builder: DentNode feature that lets lab owners define their exact station sequence — e.g. Scan → CAD → Milling → Staining → QC → Dispatch. Cases auto-route through stations and staff see their assigned queue.
Client Portal: The dentist-facing interface in DentNode where dental clinics can see live case status, approve 3D designs, and view invoices. Free for dentists — their lab pays.
UPI: Unified Payments Interface — India's real-time payment system. DentNode sends UPI payment links via WhatsApp when an invoice is generated. Payment reconciles automatically against the invoice.
Tally: The most widely used accounting software in India. DentNode exports invoices as Tally-compatible XML at month-end. Compatible with Tally Prime and TallyERP 9.