The lab prescription is often filled in at the end of an appointment, between two patients. Yet it is the only document that accompanies the case from one end of the chain to the other: it carries the prescription, the technical choices and the time constraints. A complete prescription does not just save the dental technician a few minutes — it avoids back-and-forth, guesswork and sometimes an extra try-in appointment.
A prescription, not a form
The prescription serves two purposes. The first is regulatory: the prosthesis is a custom-made medical device, manufactured on the dentist's prescription, and material traceability relies on this document. The second is technical: it passes on to the dental technician the decisions they cannot make alone. The lab can optimize a design; it cannot choose the material, the shade or the luting method for you.
The sections that really matter
| Section | What the lab expects | What happens when it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| Teeth concerned | Precise numbering, single unit or bridge, with the pontics | Verification call, production delayed |
| Type of restoration | Crown, post and core, bridge, removable, provisional or definitive restoration | The dental technician's assumption, risk of a remake |
| Material | Desired material, or clinical details allowing one to be proposed | Default choice, sometimes unsuited to the available space |
| Shade | Stump shade and target shade, shade guide used | Approximate shade, reworked at the try-in |
| Margins | Desired position, areas not to be modified | Tracing interpreted on the unreadable portions |
| Occlusion | Recorded inter-arch relationship, desired occlusal scheme | Prolonged chairside adjustments |
| Luting | Planned bonding or cementation | Intaglio surface finish not suited |
| Lead time | Date of the seating appointment | Scheduled as late as possible, no margin in case of problems |
The information that changes everything
Photographs
Two or three well-exposed photos are worth more than a descriptive paragraph, especially for the shade: a shade tab placed in the same plane as the tooth, in neutral light, allows the ceramist to assess saturation and translucency. In the anterior region, a smile view usefully completes the series.
Occlusion and the opposing arch
A complete opposing arch, a usable occlusal registration and an indication of the desired scheme avoid most chairside adjustments. Also mention known parafunctions: they weigh on the choice of material and the thicknesses chosen.
Lead time and seating date
Giving the appointment date, rather than writing "urgent", makes it possible to genuinely schedule the work and keep a margin in case of a technical problem. A date known in advance can almost always be met; an emergency announced the day before rarely can.
Cases that deserve a few more lines
Some cases benefit from documentation beyond the standard sections. In implant prosthetics, the exact implant reference, its platform and the connection type are essential: without them, the lab can neither order the right interface component nor design a suitable profile. Also specify the planned retention method and the observed emergence axis.
In the anterior region, describe the goal in one sentence: keep the existing shape, correct an alignment, lighten the shade. A stated goal saves the ceramist from interpreting your request, and saves you an extra try-in. If the patient has approved an esthetic mock-up or a provisional, say so: it is the best reference we can have.
The checklist before sending
- Patient and dentist identification, shipping date and desired seating date.
- Teeth concerned, numbered, and the exact nature of the expected restoration.
- Material chosen, or clinical details allowing the lab to propose one.
- Stump shade, target shade and shade guide used, with photographs if possible.
- Planned luting method: bonding or cementation.
- Impressions, models or files, opposing arch and occlusal registration.
- Particularities of the case: parafunction, known allergy, esthetic demands, history of fracture.
- Impression disinfection performed and noted.
How Dune Dental supports you
Our prescription form was designed to stay quick to fill in while covering these points. When information is missing, we call you before starting production rather than making an assumption, even if it delays the case by half a day: a remade restoration always costs more clinical time than a phone call. Every piece of work is delivered with its declaration of conformity and the traceability of the materials used.
[To be completed: format and sending method of the Dune Dental prescription — paper, PDF, online portal] [To be completed: contact details of the technical advisor to reach to complete a case] [To be completed: standard lead times announced by Dune Dental by type of restoration]
FAQ
What if the material has not been decided yet?
Say so, and provide the clinical context: available space, pulpal status, esthetic demands, parafunction. The lab can then propose an option for you to approve — which is better than a default choice.
Does a digital prescription replace the paper form?
Yes, as long as it is attached to the case and kept. In a digital workflow, it accompanies the files and eliminates the risk of the impression and the prescription becoming separated.
Should the patient's allergies be mentioned?
Yes, as soon as an allergy to a material is known or suspected. This information directly determines the choice of alloys and luting materials.
What does the declaration of conformity contain?
It identifies the device, the prescribing dentist, the patient and the materials used with their references. It is supplied with the restoration and must be kept in the patient's file.
