Overview
ISO 18739:2026 – Dentistry - Vocabulary of process chain for CAD/CAM systems is an international standard that provides a comprehensive, harmonized set of terms and definitions for the digital workflow in dental CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing) systems. Developed by ISO Technical Committee 106, Subcommittee 9, this standard ensures clear communication and consistent terminology usage for dental professionals, manufacturers, and software developers involved in digital dentistry.
The vocabulary defined in ISO 18739:2026 covers all major steps in the CAD/CAM process chain, including 3D data acquisition, data processing, design, and manufacturing. By establishing preferred terms, the standard aims to eliminate ambiguity and improve interoperability across CAD/CAM dental systems worldwide.
Key Topics
- 3D Data Acquisition: Definitions for methods and tools involved in capturing the geometry of dental structures, such as 3D scanning, hand-held scanning devices, and digital impression devices.
- CAD/CAM Process Steps: Terminology related to:
- CAD (Computer-Aided Design): Design data, processes, and software used for creating digital dental restorations, prostheses, and appliances.
- CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing): Manufacturing data sets, CAM software, and systems that bring digital designs to physical reality via additive or subtractive processes.
- Data Sets & Formats: Standardized language for data records, raw data acquisition, file formats (e.g., STL, IGES, OBJ, STEP), and processed digital models.
- Manufacturing Methods: Clarifying terms for additive manufacturing (3D printing, vat photopolymerization), subtractive manufacturing (milling, grinding), and related system components like blanks, blocks, discs, and build platforms.
- Measurement & Calibration: Unified terminology for accuracy, calibration, error of measurement, precision, repeatability, trueness, and related concepts important in quality assurance.
Applications
ISO 18739:2026 supports practical implementation in a variety of dental settings by:
- Standardizing Communication: Enables dental clinics, laboratories, manufacturers, and software developers to use a shared vocabulary, reducing misunderstanding and error throughout the CAD/CAM workflow.
- Supporting Documentation & Training: Manufacturers can reference ISO 18739:2026 terminology in user manuals, product documentation, and training materials, promoting industry-wide consistency.
- Facilitating Interoperability: By using agreed data definitions and formats, dental CAD/CAM systems from different suppliers can work together more seamlessly, improving integration and backward planning across digital dentistry solutions.
- Enhancing Quality and Traceability: Measurement and calibration terms help ensure dental restorations and prostheses meet quality standards, supporting reliable digital impressions, precise milling or printing, and accurate fit of final products.
Related Standards
For an effective digital dentistry ecosystem, ISO 18739:2026 is designed to work alongside other relevant standards, including:
- ISO 18618: Dentistry - Interoperability of CAD/CAM systems
- ISO 18675: Dentistry - Machinable ceramic blanks
- ISO 20896-1 and ISO/TR 20896-2: Digital impression devices - Accuracy assessment methods
- ISO 23298: Test methods for machining accuracy of CAD/CAM milling machines
- ISO/ASTM 52900: Additive manufacturing - Fundamentals and vocabulary
- ISO 10303: Product data representation and exchange (STEP)
- ISO 10360-1: Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) - CMM vocabulary
By referencing ISO 18739:2026, dental professionals and manufacturers help advance interoperability, digital workflow efficiency, and quality assurance throughout the field of digital dentistry.
