Patent ID: 8483857

Claim:
A method for producing a dental prosthetic item, the method comprising: providing a 3D model of the dental prosthetic item, wherein providing the 3D model comprises determining an esthetically relevant designed subregion of a 3D model of the dental prosthetic item as part of an exterior surface of the dental prosthetic item, at least part of the esthetically relevant designed subregion of the 3D model of the dental prosthetic item corresponds to a surface of the dental prosthetic that is visible from outside an oral cavity when the dental prosthetic item is installed in the oral cavity, and the esthetically relevant designed subregion of the 3D model of the dental prosthetic item corresponds (i) in a case of incisors, to at least one of a labial surface and an incisor edge and (ii) in a case of premolars, to at least one of a buccal surface and an occlusal surface; selecting a suitable blank from a plurality of possible blanks; specifying a blank from a plurality of blanks having a prefabricated esthetically relevant terminal subsurface of a surface of a tooth, a terminal subsurface of said blank being approximating a shape of the esthetically relevant designed subregion and the prefabricated esthetically relevant terminal subsurface being a part of the terminal subsurface; and forming the dental prosthetic item from the selected blank such that the prefabricated terminal subsurface of said blank remains unmachined in at least a central region thereof, wherein the forming of the prosthetic dental item includes machining the blank only in a marginal area of the terminal subsurface and on at least some surfaces outside of the terminal subsurface.