Crown & bridge design in 24 hours — how the handoff actually works

When labs first hear “24-hour turnaround,” the most common follow-up question is: “24 hours from when, exactly?” The answer matters — and the honest answer is: from case approval, not from your first email. Here’s the full process, step by step.

What “24-hour turnaround” actually means

The 24-hour clock starts when a case is approved — meaning we’ve received your scan files, confirmed the case details, and both sides have agreed on indication, material and any design preferences. From that moment to finished design in your inbox: 24 hours.

The initial inquiry-to-approval step typically takes 1–3 hours during business hours. For labs running a routine case pipeline, this adds very little real-world delay — the approval usually completes before you’ve moved on to the next patient. The full end-to-end time from first contact to delivered design is typically 26–30 hours for most crown and bridge cases.

The crown and bridge handoff, step by step

1. Submit case details. Send indication, tooth numbers, material, any design preferences. No scan file needed yet — use the inquiry form or email. This takes 2–3 minutes with a good brief template.
2. Receive secure upload link. We reply with a link to securely transfer your scan file(s). File transfer takes a few minutes depending on file size (IOS scans are typically 20–80MB).
3. Case approval. We confirm receipt, flag anything unclear, and confirm the 24-hour clock has started. If you haven’t heard within 2 hours of uploading during business hours, chase us.
4. Design is built. Margin definition, anatomical build-up, contact and occlusal verification in exocad. You’re not involved at this stage — no check-ins, no status updates needed.
5. Design delivered. You receive screenshots from occlusal, buccal and lingual views, plus the design file. Review against the screenshots before opening the file — most feedback can be communicated from the images alone.
6. Revisions (if needed). Reply with specific notes: “tighten mesial contact,” “reduce occlusal by ~0.1mm,” “adjust emergence profile buccally.” Most revision rounds are completed within 4 hours.
7. Final delivery. Approved .dentalProject and/or nested STL files, ready for your mill.

What makes a crown and bridge case go smoothly

Cases with zero revision rounds consistently have these in common:

• Clean scan data. High-quality IOS scans or well-scanned models with no missing data at the margin or in the interproximal contacts.
• Opposing arch captured. Without an opposing scan, occlusal design is estimated. Always include the opposing arch.
• Material specified. Zirconia has different design parameters to emax; PMMA to wax. Unspecified material means the designer makes an assumption.
• Tooth form library preference noted. If you consistently use a specific library, note it. Consistency across cases matters to your clinical outcome.

What types of crown and bridge work do we handle?

Single crowns, multi-unit bridges (up to full-arch span), inlays and onlays, veneers, Maryland bridges, cantilevers, implant-supported crowns and screw-retained crowns on all major implant systems. Complex cases — long-span bridges, immediate implant restorations, advanced occlusal reconstruction — are handled with a slightly longer brief and sometimes a brief call to align expectations, but remain within scope.

What if you need it faster than 24 hours?

Rush turnaround (4–8 hours) is available on request. Contact us with the case details and your deadline before submitting — we’ll confirm availability. Rush turnaround is not guaranteed but is fulfilled in the majority of cases that request it. Rush requests received after 14:00 CET may not complete within European business hours.