Most sourcing delays in dental materials are not commercial, they are terminological: a buyer and a supplier using the same word for different things. The glossary below fixes the vocabulary, the FAQ answers the questions that come up before a first order, and the document list tells you exactly what we can send.

Glossary

Term	What it means
Y-TZP	Yttria-stabilised tetragonal zirconia polycrystal. The material family behind all dental zirconia blanks. Yttria content determines the balance between strength and translucency.
3Y / 4Y / 5Y	Mol percent of yttria in the lattice. 3Y is the high-strength grade; 4Y and 5Y trade strength for translucency.
Pre-sintered (green) state	Zirconia that has been pressed and lightly fired but not densified. Soft enough to mill with carbide tooling; shrinks during final sintering.
Sintering shrinkage	Linear contraction on final firing — approximately 21% for dental zirconia. Must be compensated in the CAM software using the batch factor.
Flexural strength	Resistance to bending failure, in MPa. The governing mechanical figure for a restoration under occlusal load.
Translucency	Proportion of light transmitted through the material. Higher values give a more lifelike restoration but lower strength.
Multilayer (ML)	A blank with graded shade and translucency from cervical to incisal, reducing the need for hand staining.
PMMA	Polymethyl methacrylate. The standard material for milled temporary and provisional restorations.
Residual monomer	Unreacted MMA remaining in a cured PMMA. Higher figures raise biocompatibility concerns and reduce colour stability.
Linear shrinkage (wax)	Contraction of a wax pattern on cooling. Moves the casting dimension and must be compensated by the investment expansion.
Ash content (wax)	Residue remaining after burnout. Low ash means a clean mould; high ash shows up as porosity in the casting.
Setting expansion	Dimensional increase of dental stone as it cures. The governing tolerance figure for model and die accuracy.
Water-to-powder ratio	The mixing proportion for dental gypsum. Deviating from it changes both strength and expansion simultaneously.
Type III / IV / V	ISO 6873 classification of dental gypsum by strength and expansion: study stone, die stone, and high-strength low-expansion stone.
COA	Certificate of analysis. The lot document quoting measured values against the specification.
TDS	Technical data sheet. The product-level document setting out properties and processing parameters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Orders and quantities

• What is the minimum order quantity? MOQ from 500 units on standard lines, and from 500 units on OEM private-label production. Sample and evaluation quantities are available before a volume commitment.
• Can I combine product lines in one order? Yes. Mixing lines onto one shipment is normal practice and reduces freight per unit.
• Do you supply samples? Yes. We ship evaluation quantities so you can run a trial case and verify the grade before ordering at volume.
• What is the lead time? Standard lines ship from stock; OEM production of custom dimensions or shades typically runs longer. Confirm against your required delivery date at quotation.

Technical

• Are your blanks compatible with my milling system? Our blanks are dimensioned for open CAD/CAM systems including 3Shape, Dentsply Sirona, Wieland, Amann Girrbach, Roland DG and IMES-ICORE. Non-standard step geometries can be produced.
• Which zirconia grade should I choose? Decide from the indication and the load, not from the price. Posterior multi-unit work takes the high-strength grade; anterior single units take the high-translucency or multilayer grade. The zirconia page sets out the decision rule.
• What shrinkage factor should I use? The batch-specific factor on the certificate of analysis that accompanies your blanks. Do not use a generic default.
• Can you supply a custom shade or dimension? Yes, on OEM terms. Send the target specification and the volume, and we will confirm feasibility.

Compliance and documentation

• What certifications do you hold? ISO 13485:2016 quality management, with products tested to ISO 6872, ISO 20795-1 and ISO 6873 as applicable. CE marked under EU MDR and FDA registered.
• What documents ship with an order? Certificate of analysis per lot, lot traceability, technical data sheet and the applicable conformity declaration.
• Will you support a supplier audit? Yes. Tell us the standard you are being assessed against and we will provide the matching quality documentation.
• Do you provide biocompatibility data? Materials are evaluated per ISO 10993 and the relevant reports are available on request.

Documents Available on Request

Document	Scope	How to request
Technical data sheet	Per product line — properties and processing parameters	Request by line
Certificate of analysis	Per lot, quoting measured values	Ships with every order
Test reports	Flexural strength, expansion, ash content by line	Request by line
Declaration of conformity	CE-marked products	Request for destination market
Quality system evidence	ISO 13485 scope and certificate	Request for audit support
Safety data sheets	Where material classification requires	Request by line