7 Questions to Ask Before You Send a Case to a New Dental Lab

Before you send a case to a new dental lab, ask seven questions: how it checks margins and contacts, what happens if a restoration doesn't fit, which scanners and file types it accepts, its standard and rush turnaround, who you can talk to, where cases are made, and how it handles anterior shade.

For dentists and practice owners choosing a new lab, or re-checking the one they have.

Switching labs is a big decision, and most of what matters can't be seen in a sales visit. A rep can show you a beautiful crown. What you need to know is what happens to the case you send next week: how it's checked, who handles it, and what happens if it doesn't fit.

These seven questions get you there. A lab that has thought about its own workflow will answer all of them clearly. Ask them of every lab, including us. Our answers are below each one.

1. How do you check margins and contacts before a case ships?

"Everything goes through QC" isn't an answer. Ask what is checked, how, and by whom. Margins and contacts are where most chairside adjustments start, so you want a specific process, not a general promise.

Our answer: every restoration is examined under high-powered microscopy before it leaves the lab, for marginal gaps, surface defects and shade. We once remade a full-contour zirconia bridge from scratch because QC found a marginal gap 20 microns too large, invisible to the naked eye. More on that in The 20-Micron Margin.

2. What happens if a restoration doesn't fit?

Every lab will say it stands behind its work. Ask what that means in practice: who pays for the remake, how fast it comes back, and whether you'll be asked to prove whose fault it was.

Our answer: every AIM case is backed by our fit-and-function guarantee. If a restoration doesn't meet spec, we remake it at no cost. You can also return any case within 90 days of delivery for full credit. Our remake rate is 2%. Details in What AIM's Guarantee Actually Covers.

3. Which scanners and file types do you accept?

If you scan, the lab's file intake decides whether a case starts the day you send it or waits on a format question. Ask for the list, not "most scanners."

Our answer: all major intraoral scanners, including iTero, 3Shape TRIOS, CEREC, DEXIS, Medit, Carestream, Planmeca and Shining 3D. We accept .STL, .PLY, .OBJ and .DCM files, sent to digital@aimdentallab.com. Physical impressions are still welcome. More on the intraoral scanner workflow.

4. What's your standard and rush turnaround, and do you hit it?

The second half of the question matters more than the first. Ask whether the quoted number is a maximum or an average, and when the clock starts.

Our answer: standard turnaround is up to 11 days for crown and bridge, 12 for implants, 11 for removables and 8 for orthodontics. These are maximum estimates, not averages. Metro NYC practices can get a 24-hour rush on cases received by 12 PM, and every practice can get a 2-day rush. The full breakdown is in Dental Lab Turnaround Time: What to Expect and What to Ask.

5. Can I talk directly to the technician on my case?

When a case has a question, the fastest answer comes from the person working on it. A lab where every question goes through a general inbox adds a day to every conversation.

Our answer: every case type at AIM is handled by a dedicated specialist, not a generalist, and if a case arrives with a missing shade or an incomplete impression, we call the doctor the same day.

6. Where are my restorations actually made?

Some labs design locally and send fabrication elsewhere, which adds shipping time and another set of hands. Ask where each step happens.

Our answer: every case is made on-premises, under one roof, at 802 Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, where AIM has been since 1951. Design, milling, finishing and QC all happen in the same building.

7. How do you handle shade matching for anterior cases?

Anterior shade is where a lab's craft shows. Ask what the lab needs from you, and who does the characterization.

Our answer: shade matching and standard finishing are included on every unit, and specialist artisans handle shade characterization. A shade tab number is a starting point; a photo in natural light and a note on translucency and characterization help us match it the first time. See The Communication Habit That Prevents Most Remakes.

What good answers from a dental lab sound like

You're not looking for the most impressive answer. You're looking for specific ones: a named process, a real number, a person you can call. Vague answers usually mean the process is vague too. Before your first case, our case submission checklist covers what to include.

Ask us all seven. Then schedule a pickup or send your first scan, and see how the answers hold up on a real case.