The most talented ones don't succeed.
The ones who start do.

Introduction

This introduction explains why Exocad became the standard in digital dentistry and how the program is structured for step-by-step learning. You'll meet the instructor and her background, get an overview of the available versions, licenses and add-on modules, and guidance on choosing the right reseller for ongoing support.

Hardware requirements for working smoothly in Exocad

To work smoothly in Exocad you need to meet the minimum hardware requirements, including enough RAM and a suitable graphics card. You'll learn how to choose between a laptop and a desktop based on your needs, and what limitations exist when working on a Mac.

Creating a case and the basics of working

This part walks you through creating a new case and navigating the Exocad interface. You'll learn how to add patients, organize projects, select teeth, restorations and materials, and work with crowns, bridges and implants. You'll also master using additional scans, setting parameters for a precise design, and techniques for saving, copying and sharing cases.

File types and checking scans

You'll understand the differences between the STL, PLY and OBJ formats most commonly used in digital dentistry. Learn how to review and validate scans before you start designing, and how to catch potential problems early.

Hotkeys for faster work

Master the most useful keyboard shortcuts every Exocad beginner needs. You'll learn how to quickly hide and show parts of the model and significantly speed up your workflow.

Wizard Mode and Expert Mode

Wizard Mode is ideal for beginners because it provides guided, step-by-step work. Over time you'll move to Expert Mode, which gives full control over the design, and this part explains when and how best to make that switch.

Scan orientation and fixing flipped meshes

Learn how to correctly select the meshes for the working model and antagonist, and how to correct an incorrectly oriented scan. This part covers working with 3D models, including rotating, zooming and moving, as well as recognizing orientation from the color of the triangles.

3D Data Editor: editing scans

Learn how to edit and clean up scans before you start designing. This part covers removing unnecessary parts, repairing holes in the mesh, and preparing a clean working model for a precise result.

Margin detection: tools, tips and tricks

This part covers the techniques for automatic and manual margin detection in Exocad. You'll learn how to adjust the points for a precise margin line and how to optimize the lighting and view for better visibility.

Crown Bottom and achieving a precise fit

Understand the parameters for a good fit, including cement gap and the different zones. You'll master the boundaries (horizontal, vertical, angled), the undercut and milling options, and the adjustments for crowns, veneers and other restorations.

Insertion axis and the ideal direction

Learn how to determine the best insertion direction for the restoration. This part explains how to minimize undercut areas around the margin and how to track changes in real time.

Minimum thickness and insufficient preparation

Understand the minimum thickness required depending on the material type and the tooth being restored. Learn how to check the occlusal space before making corrections.

Tooth placement and choosing morphology

This part walks you through choosing a tooth model from the library and the positioning techniques, including rotating, dragging and scaling. You'll also master the free-form tools for final shape corrections.

Free-Forming: shaping tools

The free-forming tools let you add, remove and smooth the surface of the design. Learn how to adjust cusps, ridges and contours, and how to control spacing and contact points.

Saving and merging a design

Learn how to properly finalize and merge all parts of your design. This part covers checking the STL for 3D printing and the differences between the restorative and implant workflows.

Setting up and creating a lingual band

Understand the differences between an offset coping and an anatomical crown, and learn how to add antagonist and gingiva scans. This part covers mesh alignment, designing a lingual band with the correct angle and height, leaving room for ceramic layers, and finalizing the project.

Intaglio settings and predictable results in Exocad

Master inlay and onlay design step by step, including material selection, files and the anatomical model. You'll learn to check the fit with Show Distances, make free-form adjustments while preserving morphology, use TrueSmile to visualize fissures, and apply cutting and smoothing techniques for a proper fit.

A fast workflow for symmetrical results with the Copy Tooth function

Learn the Mirror function for creating symmetrical anterior crowns and how to copy and mirror models from the scan. This part covers Advanced Placement for precise symmetry, using custom views and a grid for accurate positioning, TrueSmile for visual verification, free-forming techniques for smoothing and contours, and a final check of the contact points.

Setting up the case and the insertion axis

Learn how to design a bridge with anatomical crowns and a pontic, including margin detection and the insertion axis. This part covers handling cases with tilted teeth and simulating reduction for the patient.

Library tooth placement

Master loading and selecting custom models from the libraries, and using custom views for easier placement. Learn how to align cusps, check volume, and use Show Contacts to verify contacts.

Free-forming and designing the pontic

This part covers final shaping and achieving occlusal harmony. You'll learn how to create a pontic bottom for hygiene without food traps, use the disk cutter for embrasures, and apply smoothing and anatomical detail techniques.

Connectors - different workflows for long-lasting results

Learn how to properly add and adjust connectors between the units of the bridge. This part covers choosing size, shape and position for maximum stability, using free-forming to achieve precise dimensions, and finalizing and saving the completed bridge.

Full Anatomy Reduction

Learn how to reduce for ceramic over a metal substructure, including depth control and excluding parts from the reduction. This part covers advanced options like lingual side and multilevel reduction, minimum thickness by material, free-form smoothing and connector adjustment, and returning to the full anatomical shape.

Buccal Reduction / Cutback for partial veneers

Master manually defining reduction areas and using scan transparency for easy adjustment. Learn how to manage contacts with neighboring teeth and apply free-form smoothing for final corrections.

Master model with extra dies

Learn how to access Model Creator and properly clean up the scans. This part covers Expert Mode, Model Alignment, model types and plateless options, height, rotation and tooth die parameters, and creating antagonist models.

Model with removable cut-out dies

Understand what cut-out dies are and why they matter in the workflow. You'll learn about Model Alignment, ditch parameters, gingiva mask, retention nubs, and generating STL files for 3D printing.

Explaining issues with Cut View, annotations and screenshots

Learn how to use Cut View to visually explain a case and measure distances between surfaces. This part covers adding text and arrow annotations for clarity, and creating screenshots for communicating with clients.

Sharing cases via HTML

Exocad enables 3D viewing directly in a browser without extra software. Learn how to select objects, set password protection, and easily share cases by email.

Sharing cases via PDF

Create documents that combine a 3D model and screenshots in one place. Adobe Acrobat enables interactive 3D viewing directly inside the PDF document.

Installing new tooth and implant libraries

Learn how to properly install new tooth and implant libraries. This part covers checking that the libraries loaded successfully in Exocad, and how to avoid common selection mistakes.

Design basics and correct thickness

Learn how to design a bite splint with the virtual articulator, including parameters for stability and comfort. This part covers material selection and its effect on durability, correcting scan errors, correct thickness for bite durability, insertion direction for good retention, and free-form techniques for a smooth surface.

Virtual articulator: basics

Understand the process of aligning the upper and lower jaw and the differences between automatic and manual alignment. This part explains the occlusal plane, midline, the Bonwill triangle, choosing an articulator type, the Bennett and condylar angles, and the importance of cleaning the scan before simulation.

Functional adjustment

Master Dynamic Adaptation for final corrections and the techniques for guiding teeth through the canines and incisally. Learn how to remove oversized contacts, use smoothing and flatten for comfort, check movements and contact coloring, and apply these principles to crowns and bridges.

Manually opening the bite and increasing VDO

Understand the basics of VDO (vertical dimension of occlusion) and the differences between Correct Antagonist and Virtual Articulator. This part covers the impact of VDO on bite splints and complex cases, how to avoid problems with an incorrect VDO, the correct sequence (alignment → articulation → simulation), and the basic parameters for a stable design.

A simple workflow for designing a custom tray

Learn the process of designing a custom tray step by step, and the differences and similarities with a bite splint. This part covers the offset value for comfort, avoiding undercuts for good retention, insertion direction and thickness, and drawing the margin and adding a handle.

Using attachments for open trays and complex designs

Master using Tab Attachments to add parts and working with the attachments library. Learn positioning techniques (moving, rotating, sizing), the Cut on Gingiva and Allow Any Changes options, loading a 3D file as an attachment, and the Subtract function for creating holes for implants.

A simple workflow for designing Eggshell Crowns

Learn how to design an eggshell crown in dentalDB, including tooth selection and positioning. This part covers automatic and manual tooth splitting, the importance of an accurate margin line, handling low-quality scans, free-forming for a natural look, base design parameters, and using tooth libraries.

Designing a temporary Eggshell bridge and virtual tooth extraction

Master creating an Eggshell bridge without a tooth library, and the technique for virtually extracting a tooth for the pontic. Learn how to shape the design toward the gingiva and cervical area, manage interproximal contacts, manually extract a tooth in Expert Mode, and choose materials for proper connectors.

Understanding scanbodies

Understand the implant process in digital dentistry and the different types of implants, abutments, scanbodies and analogs. Learn about the role of scanbodies in determining implant position and type, compatibility between different brands, recognizing scanbodies by shape, and using implant libraries.

Custom Abutment Case

Understand the differences between a custom abutment and a screw-retained crown, and the DentalDB workflow for choosing material and scanpost. This part covers correctly placing the scanbody, aligning meshes for accurate detection, specifications for tapered implants, platform and transgingival height, and checking the abutment height.

Emergence profiles of custom abutments

Learn what an emergence profile is and why it matters for a successful restoration. This part covers Definition Tools for manual definition, free-form for the base of the abutment, measuring the distance from the gingiva by color, secondary insertion direction for fit, and final adjustments.

Screw-Retained Crown

Master choosing material, tooth and the screw-retained option, and placing the scanbody with transgingival height. Learn about best-fit matching for interocclusal space and designing the emergence profile and crown, as well as designing without a scanbody using only the Titanium Base and changing the implant type.

How to change the implant type or Titanium Base

How to change an implant or titanium base without starting the project from scratch. How to adjust the transgingival height and repeat the best-fit matching. How to fix deformations in the cervical area with free-form smoothing. How to move from a custom abutment and crown to a screw-retained crown.

Setting up a wax-up case in Exocad

Learn how to set up a digital wax-up for veneers and rehabilitations, including the Anatomic Pontic choice in dentalDB. This part covers using photos in Smile Creator for personalization, strategic planning of the restoration and material, positioning and orienting STL files, and correcting defects from a plaster scan.

Setting up Smile Creator for wax-up

Master setting up and aligning photos, and the importance of professional dental photography. Learn how to align the points between photos and 3D scans, work with the lip lines, midline, interpupillary line and proportions, and choose an anatomy for a realistic design.

Wax-up design tips and tricks

Learn Wizard mode for a personalized smile design and placing teeth according to the patient's wishes. This part covers scaling for ideal proportions, custom model tooth features, free-form for a precise fit against the gingiva, mirroring teeth for a symmetrical design, and Hot Keys for quick corrections.

Gingivectomy simulation and finalizing

Master free-forming for final adjustments and adapting the library to the patient. Learn how to remove volume for veneers, use the disk cutter to separate meshes, and save the wax-up as an STL.

Setting up the case

Learn how to design veneers using the wax-up as a guide, including material selection and milling settings. This part covers loading scans and orientation, checking the margin line, insertion direction without undercuts, and setting the thickness.

Following the wax-up and troubleshooting

Master loading and aligning a previous wax-up and correcting minimum thickness. Learn free-form techniques for adding volume, checking contact points, and final corrections before saving.

3D-printed model with room for implants

Learn how to access Model Creator from dentalDB or a finished project, and use Plateless Model with Extra Dies for implants. This part covers placing scans and implant analog parts, checking implant libraries, Pedestal Height and Horizontal Offset parameters, the gingival mask, and generating models for the upper jaw and antagonist.

Adding attachments and markings

Master preparing a model for wax-up design and aligning it with the occlusal plane. Learn about pedestal height, adding and adjusting attachments, and the merge, save and file-location process.

Setting up a hybrid crown and implant case

Learn how to use DentalDB for a full oral rehabilitation with a different restoration type for each tooth. This part covers the virtual articulator for increasing VDO, creating a new bite-scan relationship, choosing the titanium base and transgingival height, margin detection, and placing teeth in the upper jaw.

Tooth placement tools, tips and tricks

Master the tooth placement tool for fast placement and the differences between chain mode and manipulating a single tooth. Learn about the fixed bow for simultaneous movement, controlling minimum thickness, buccal volume and length, free-form occlusion corrections, copying teeth for symmetry, and grids for checking proportions.

Free-form shaping and finalizing

Learn techniques for adding volume and correcting detail, as well as integrating the wax-up mesh with the scan. This part covers achieving correct occlusion and a balanced plane, tooth parts for correcting root angle, using pre-op scans as a reference, cutting intersections, adapting pontics toward the gingiva, the virtual articulator with Bennett and condylar angles, Expert Mode for faster corrections, and Model Creator for final models.

Basic preparation of an All-on-X case (both jaws)

Learn which elements are needed for an All-on-X case, including scans, implants and scanbody. This part covers setup in DentalDB, using wax-up teeth instead of crowns and bridges, virtual gingiva, placing teeth in both jaws, the wax rim, aligning implant analogs, and the virtual articulator for correcting the bite.

Tooth proportions and functional occlusion

Master choosing the library for the upper and lower jaw and achieving correct tooth proportions. Learn how to align the midlines and occlusal contacts, measure for symmetry, use free-form for small corrections, and the articulator for checking movements.

Designing esthetic, hygienic gingiva

Learn how to create virtual gingiva with a natural look, step by step. This part covers gingiva modeling tools, providing volume around implants for strength, merging the upper and lower jaw, and checking and correcting intersections.

Reduction and preparation for ceramic

Understand the options for a monolithic design, cutback and full reduction. Learn about the importance of keeping a copy of the original design, cutback techniques for ceramic, reduction without weakening the structure, avoiding weak zones around implants, and final merging and saving.

3D models for All-on-X with implant analogs and gingival mask

Learn how to create a 3D model for a complex All-on-X case with correct tooth alignment and occlusal plane. This part covers implant analogs and model height, the gingival mask and retention pins, the articulator and incisal pin, and adding text and markings to the model.