CAD/CAM Dental Design Services: What Labs and Clinics Can Outsource
If your lab or clinic is short on design time, you can send the digital design work for crowns, bridges, dentures, implant guides and more to a specialist team, and keep your own time for production, fitting and patients.
This guide explains what CAD and CAM mean in dentistry, which design services you can outsource, and what to ask a design partner before you send your first case.
CAD and CAM: the short version
- CAD (computer-aided design) is the design stage. A restoration or guide is designed on screen from a scan or digital model.
- CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) is the production stage. The finished design is milled, printed or otherwise manufactured into a physical product.
A simple way to remember it: CAD decides what to make, and CAM decides how to make it.
| CAD | CAM | |
|---|---|---|
| Stands for | Computer-aided design | Computer-aided manufacturing |
| Main question | What should be made? | How should it be made? |
| Main output | Approved digital design files | Milled or printed physical product |
| Where mistakes show up | In fit, contacts, margins, shape, occlusion | In accuracy, surface finish, material, final fit |
| Done by | Designer, with dentist or technician input | Lab or production team with milling or printing equipment |
Most labs and clinics find that design takes more skilled screen time than production does, and it is easy to hand off. That is why digital design is one of the most common services to outsource.
Which CAD/CAM design services can you outsource?
OrthoAlign Solution offers a full spectrum of CAD/CAM design solutions for dental laboratories. These are the services and prices listed on our CAM and CAD services page:
| Service | Price listed | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Crown / Unit | $7 per unit | Crowns designed for fit, strength and natural aesthetics |
| Bridge / Maryland | $15 per unit | Bridges and Maryland bridges for tooth replacement |
| Partial Denture Arch | $25 per arch | Digitally designed partial dentures |
| Surgical Implant Guide | $50 | Guides for guided implant surgery |
| Full Denture / Arch | $40 | Digitally designed full dentures |
| Veneers / Unit Inlay | $10 per unit | Veneers, inlays and onlays |
| Screw Retained Implant | $20 per unit | Retrievable, screw-retained implant crowns |
| Post & Core / Unit | $10 per unit | Post and core systems for weakened teeth |
| Arch Digital Smile Design | $40 | Custom impression trays and digital smile design |
| Diagnostic Wax-up / Toronto Bridge | $30 per unit | Diagnostic wax-ups and full-arch Toronto bridges |
Prices are as shown on our CAM and CAD page. Check the page for current prices before publishing or ordering.
Why labs and clinics outsource dental CAD design
- Time: design work does not take your technicians or dentists away from production and patients.
- Cost control: you pay per unit or per arch instead of carrying design software, training and salary costs all year.
- Flexibility: busy weeks do not need extra hires, and slow weeks do not leave fixed costs behind.
- Consistency: a team that designs the same restoration types every day builds a steady standard.
- A wider service list: you can offer implant guides, dentures or smile design without learning each workflow first.
How a typical outsourced design workflow works
- You send the scan or digital model and your case instructions.
- The design team creates the restoration, guide or denture design.
- You review the design and request any changes.
- The approved design files come back to you.
- Your lab mills, prints and finishes the product (the CAM stage).
Add your own details here about accepted file formats, turnaround times, revision policy and how files are returned, so readers know exactly what to expect.
Questions to ask any CAD/CAM design partner
- Which restoration types do you design, and how do you handle complex cases?
- What scan and file formats do you accept, and what do you return?
- How many revisions are included, and what do extra changes cost?
- What is your usual turnaround for each service?
- How do you check designs for fit, contacts and margins before sending them?
- How do you handle patient data? A signed agreement matters, so see our HIPAA Business Associate Agreement.
- Are prices clear before you order?
How to order
Ordering is simple. Choose your service on the CAM and CAD services page and use the CAD/CAM booking page to place your order. For volume pricing or questions, contact OrthoAlign Solution or review our pricing page.
Offering clear aligners too?
Our digital services also support aligner work. If you plan or review aligner cases, read our guides on outsourcing clear aligner design and the real cost of aligner planning, or explore our QC service and Meshmixer services.
Frequently asked questions
Is CAD the same as CAM? No. CAD is the design stage on the computer, and CAM is the stage that mills or prints the physical product.
Do I still need milling or printing equipment? Yes, if your lab produces the final product. Design partners usually return the design files, and your lab handles manufacturing.
Which services are the most popular to outsource? Crowns, bridges and veneers are common starting points because they are frequent and repeatable. Implant guides and dentures are often outsourced because they need specialist design time.
Can I try the service with one case? Yes. Sending a single case is the easiest way to judge quality, communication and turnaround before you commit.
Do I keep control of the final design? Yes. You review the design, request changes and approve it before manufacturing.
Send your first design case
Pick a service, send your scan, and see how much time you get back. Visit our CAM and CAD services page, explore our services, or contact OrthoAlign Solution to get started.
