PLY file
Also called: .ply, Polygon File Format, Stanford Triangle Format
A PLY file is a three-dimensional file format that stores the shape of a surface and can also store its colour. Intraoral scanners can export scans as PLY files, so the lab sees the teeth and gums in colour. An STL file of the same scan carries the shape alone.
How it shows up between practice and lab
Colour helps a technician read a scan. It makes it easier to see where gum ends and tooth begins.
The colour in a scan does not replace a shade record. The lab still needs the shade on the Rx, and a photo for any tooth that shows.
Which format to send depends on the lab’s software. A practice should ask each lab once, and set the scanner’s export to match.
Read more in STL vs PLY files and how to send intraoral scans to a dental lab without losing files.
Related terms
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