Dental laboratory technology is evolving at a rapid pace. The use of zirconia as a metal substitute is a principal driving force behind the ever-increasing development and use of computerized dentistry. Most zirconia single copings and fixed partial denture (FPD) frameworks are milled from blocks of zirconia through the use of computer technology. This could explain the surge in the number of new computer companies entering the computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) marketplace.

The burnout oven and casting machine have been replaced by model scanning and CAD/CAM milling machines. Keyboards, monitors, and cursors are used instead of Bunsen burners, wax, and carving instruments to fabricate crown-and-bridge frameworks.