Pick case type, material and options. Get the estimated turnaround with a phase-by-phase breakdown.
Case type
Single crown
3-unit bridge
4+ unit bridge
Veneers (1-4)
Veneers (5+)
Implant crown
Implant bridge
Full arch
Removable denture
Provisional
Occlusal guard
Material
Monolithic zirconia
Multilayer zirconia
IPS e.max
PFM
Feldspathic
PMMA
Acrylic
Titanium
Number of units
1
Additional options
Includes try-in
Custom shade
Rush case
Digital workflow (STL)
Frequently asked questions about turnaround
A single monolithic zirconia crown averages 5-7 business days: 1 day of CAD design, 2-3 days of fabrication (milling, sintering, staining), and 0.5 day of quality control. A digital workflow (STL) can cut 1-2 days.
A bisque try-in typically adds 3-5 business days to the total case: shipping to the practice, patient appointment, and return to the lab with any needed adjustments.
Yes. Receiving an STL file instead of a physical impression eliminates pouring, articulation, and in many cases the physical model. On average it saves 1-2 business days and reduces impression errors.
The rush surcharge typically runs 30% to 50% over the regular price, depending on the lab and how urgent the case is. Some labs will not accept rush on certain materials or complex cases.
Full arches (All-on-4/6) are the longest cases, typically 12-18 business days. They include multiple phases: digital design, metal or zirconia framework, framework try-in, ceramic layering, and final esthetic try-in.
Take control of your lab's turnaround
TrazaLab gives you real-time tracking of every case phase. No surprises, no delays.
45% of patient complaints are about turnaround time
Setting realistic time expectations is as important as the quality of the work itself. A patient who expects the crown in 5 days and gets it in 10 has a bad experience, even if the crown is perfect. Managing turnaround prevents conflict and builds trust.
45%
Complaints about turnaround
Nearly half of patient complaints in fixed prosthodontics tie to turnaround time, not quality. Setting expectations up front eliminates most of this conflict.
2-3x
Variation by complexity
A monolithic crown can take 3 days. A hybrid implant prosthesis with metal, ceramic and occlusion try-ins can take 3 weeks. The patient needs to know this before committing.
30%
Delays from incomplete Rx
Nearly a third of lab delays come from incomplete or ambiguous prescriptions. The lab can't start if it doesn't understand what you need.
Methodology
What actually drives real turnaround time
Turnaround isn't a fixed number the lab hands you. It's an equation with multiple variables that shift case by case. Understand each factor and you can give accurate estimates instead of making impossible promises.
1
Case complexity
A single monolithic crown is the fastest case. Layered ceramics, multiple units, intermediate try-ins or implant work multiply time proportionally. Each extra step adds one more ship-and-receive cycle.
2
Material choice
Monolithic zirconia can be milled and sintered in a day. A layered ceramic-on-metal restoration needs casting, oxidation, opaquing, porcelain layering and glazing. Material choice doesn't just drive esthetics and function: it drives the calendar.
3
Digital vs. analog workflow
An intraoral scan eliminates pouring time, but it doesn't eliminate CAD design, milling and finishing. Digital saves 1-2 days at the capture stage, not in fabrication. Don't confuse capture speed with production speed.
4
Try-in stages
Every intermediate try-in (metal, bisque, functional) adds a full cycle of shipping, chair evaluation and return to the lab. Plan on 2-3 days per try-in stage.
Common mistakes
5 mistakes that delay your cases unnecessarily
Most delays aren't the lab's fault. They come from clinical decisions that didn't treat time as a variable.
1
Promising a date without checking the lab's capacity
The lab has a work queue. Your rush case is competing with rush cases from 20 other clinicians. Before you give the patient a date, call the lab and confirm real availability. A 30-second call prevents weeks of conflict.
2
Not including intermediate try-in time
If your case needs a metal try-in plus a bisque try-in, that's 2 round trips adding 5-7 business days. Many clinicians only count fabrication time and forget the shipping and chair evaluations in between.
3
Assuming digital means instant
Intraoral scanning eliminates pouring impressions, but CAD design, milling, sintering and finishing still take the same amount of time. Digital saves time at capture, not in production. A complex digital case still takes 7-10 days.
4
Sending incomplete prescriptions
If the lab has to call you to clarify shade, connector type, core material or pontic dimensions, your case stops until you reply. A complete prescription from the start eliminates the most common delay.
5
Asking for rush without understanding the real cost
A rush case doesn't just cost more money: it forces the lab to interrupt other cases, compresses QC time and raises the odds of errors. Save rush for real emergencies, not for poor planning.
Frequently asked questions
What people ask us most
Why does my lab take longer than they advertise?
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Advertised turnaround times usually assume an ideal case: single crown, clean prescription, no intermediate try-ins, normal queue. In practice, most cases hit some complication that adds time. On top of that, most labs count business days, not calendar days.
Does a digital workflow really save time?
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It saves 1-2 days at the capture stage by eliminating pouring and physical shipping of impressions. But fabrication (CAD design, milling, sintering, manual finishing) takes a similar amount of time. The real advantage of digital is precision, not speed.
How much does a rush case cost?
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Typically a 30% to 100% surcharge over the base price, depending on the lab and urgency. But the real cost also includes higher risk of error, less QC time, and the chance that another patient's case gets pushed back.
What's the realistic minimum for a crown?
+
For a monolithic zirconia crown with no intermediate try-ins, 3-5 business days from when the lab receives the case. For layered ceramic with a bisque try-in, 8-12 days. For multiple implant restorations with a framework try-in, 15-20 days.
How do I cut turnaround without sacrificing quality?
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Three moves: (1) complete prescriptions from day one, (2) digital scanning to kill physical shipping time, (3) direct communication with the technician before starting complex cases so you plan the timeline together.
Estimate real turnaround for your next case
Use TrazaTiempo to estimate turnaround based on the real variables of your case. No surprises for you or your patient.