Deliver Your CAD/CAM Cases On Time

Let’s be honest — restorations are what most dental labs do every day. But as expectations grow, timing tightens and cases become more complex, even veteran labs can drift into habits that quietly slow them down or turn out lower-quality databases. Here are five common restoration design mistakes we still see labs make in 2025 — and how to avoid them:

𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲

Digitalization is a monumental step — but it’s not the last mile. If your team approaches each case unique, choosing their own scan names, settings or design habits, you’re guaranteed to encounter avoidable roadblocks. Consistency in your workflow is what makes everything clean, efficient and scalable. Tip: For each type of restoration, make a simple checklist. Use it in your intake and design review — it will save you hours in the long run.

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬

Some labs overwork their shades to the point of exhaustion, others leave room for sloppiness just to hit a deadline. Both damage the final result — one introduces bottlenecks in production, the other introduces rework at delivery. Tip: Be assertively clinically relevant. If you are outsourcing, be crystal clear with your expectations so that there are no surprises.

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥

Not all material can be expected to meet the same design demands. What works for PMMA might fracture in zirconia. Still, we do see labs applying the same design logic to very different materials. Tip: Ensure your team (and designers) are aware of the limitations of each material — and keep design parameters up to date as your tools evolve.

𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐢𝐱 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞

We’ve seen this a million times: margins just off, contacts just tight, occlusion just high — but manually fixes, every time. That’s a red flag. Doing that troubleshooting after the design often means there’s something wrong earlier in the process. Add a 5 minute wrap-up before you approve or export any design. A moment or two here can save expensive redos.

𝐓𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧-𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

Makes sense — you crave control. But if your team’s stretched thin, that control becomes a bottleneck. Pressurized deciding in full-arch or implant cases can be a time and energy sapper.

Tip: Keep what doesn’t hold you back. Platforms like Dental Designers help labs grow by giving you access to reliable, vetted designers that understand how you like your work done and your workflow.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭

In 2025, smart labs realize that quality doesn’t mean doing everything in-house. It comes from clarity and consistency and from knowing when to lean on the right tools and people. The bottom line is if you let these common mistakes go out the door, your lab can cut remakes, close cases sooner and establish stronger trust with clients.

And yes, we can help. At Dental Designers, we have worked with labs of all sizes — covering everything from crowns and bridges up to full-arch implant cases. Our expert design team provides any print-ready files required to your specifications, each and every time.

If you’re looking for a partner that approaches the clinical side, builds mature, user-friendly tech — you’ve come to the right place. 👉 Visit https://dentaldesigners.io/ and publish your first case today.