Visited a scanner website and don't understand half the words? Opened Exocad documentation and met a dozen acronyms in a row? This glossary collects the 50 most important terms in digital dentistry with plain-language explanations. Grouped by topic — pick the section that's relevant to you.
Scanning and file formats
STL (StereoLithography) — the most popular polygon 3D model format in dentistry. The file describes the surface of an object through thousands of triangles. Any intraoral scanner outputs STL.
PLY — alternative to STL, supports colors and textures. Less common, but TRIOS uses it for colored scans.
OBJ — format from the film industry, sometimes used in dentistry for textured models.
DICOM — medical imaging format (CBCT, X-ray). Details in our article «DICOM for dentists».
IOS (Intraoral Scanner) — TRIOS, Medit, iTero, Carestream and others.
Mesh — polygon mesh making up a 3D model. Denser mesh = more detailed model.
Stitching — process of "sewing" individual scan frames into a single model in real time. Poor stitching = gaps in the model.
CAD design
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) — programs like Exocad or 3Shape Dental System.
Margin Line — the prep border where the crown will sit. The main line in design.
Insertion Axis — the path of crown insertion. Critical for successful restoration seating.
Library — collection of pre-made tooth shapes or implants used as starting points.
Spline — a curve in CAD defining the edge of a crown or other geometry.
Articulator — virtual articulator simulating jaw movements. Used for occlusion verification.
Pontic — pontic part of a bridge (tooth without a root). Doesn't sit on a patient's tooth.
CAM and milling
CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing). CAD designs, CAM cuts. Main program — MillBox.
Nesting — packing multiple jobs into one disc (blank) for optimal material use.
Toolpath — mill trajectory. CAM generates it from the CAD model.
Sintering — final heat treatment of milled zirconia crowns in a furnace at 1450°C.
Coping — inner framework (thin base) under ceramic veneer.
Implantology
Surgical Guide — plastic guide with holes directing the surgeon's drill during implant placement.
Sleeve — metal tube inside the guide where the drill moves. Standard sizes 4-8 mm.
Anchor Pin — pin fixing the guide to the patient's jaw.
Bone Density — bone density in Hounsfield units (HU). 1000+ HU is cortical, below 300 is cancellous.
Static Guided Surgery — traditional surgical guides with printing.
Dynamic Navigation — real-time navigation without a guide, via X-Guide, Navident systems.
CBCT and DICOM
CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) — the main diagnostic exam in implant dentistry.
MPR (Multi-Planar Reformat) — displaying CBCT in three planes simultaneously (axial, sagittal, coronal).
Voxel — 3D pixel. CBCT consists of voxels typically 0.15-0.4 mm.
FOV (Field Of View) — CBCT scan area. Small FOV (5×5 cm) for one tooth; large (16×16 cm) for both jaws.
Hounsfield Units — tissue density on CT. Water = 0, air = -1000, cortical bone ≈ 1000.
Orthodontics
Cephalometry — skull measurements from cephalometric X-rays. Programs: NemoCeph, OnyxCeph.
Setup — virtual tooth positioning into target position for aligner series calculation.
IPR (InterProximal Reduction) — enamel reduction between teeth to create space for alignment.
Aligner — clear tray for tooth movement. Main systems: Invisalign, ClearCorrect.
Bracket — fixed attachment for orthodontic wire.
3D printing
SLA (Stereolithography) — laser printing in liquid resin. High accuracy, slow.
DLP (Digital Light Processing) — projector printing layer by layer. Faster than SLA, slightly less accurate.
LCD/MSLA — printing through LCD mask. Cheapest printers (Anycubic, Elegoo, Phrozen). Good accuracy.
Resin — liquid printing material. Biocompatible (for in-mouth guides), model resin (for stone models), temporary crown resin.
Slicing — cutting STL into layers for the printer. Programs: CHITUBOX Dental, Formlabs PreForm.
Supports — temporary props holding the model on the platform during printing. Removed after.
Post-curing — final polymerization in a UV chamber after printing.
Production processes
Workflow — sequence of steps from first patient scan to finished restoration. Digital workflow eliminates stone models.
Chairside — production at the chair, right in the clinic in one visit. Main example — Sirona CEREC.
Labside — production in a dental lab, not the clinic.
Try-In — virtual or physical fitting of the construction before final manufacturing.
Smile Design
DSD (Digital Smile Design) — methodology for digital smile design. Programs: DSD App, Smile Designer Pro.
Mock-Up — temporary composite restoration for aesthetic evaluation before final preparation.
Smile Line — smile line aligning the lower edges of incisors.
Didn't find your term?
If you found a word in program documentation or interface and don't understand it — message Telegram @keys_helper or WhatsApp. We'll explain it briefly. We also help with installation of any dental program in under an hour — Exocad, 3Shape, RealGUIDE, coDiagnostiX, NemoCeph, MillBox and others.
On CAD comparison — article «Which CAD/CAM to choose in 2026». On CBCT work — «DICOM for dentists». On the 3D printing software chain — «Dental 3D printing».
