point thereafter the cross section of the structural components may be square rectangular triangular rhomboidal ovoidal tapered cylindrical or of any other cross sectional configuration effective to provide strength and stiffness to the finished dental appliance the dimensions may be of varying lengths widths and heights and the shades thereof may be of any shade suitable for dental materials coloring agents known in the art may be added to the polymeric matrix material prior to curing the components may be used as frameworks or understructures for crowns bridges implant abutment cylinders implant superstructures and the like the framework understructure can be made from the structural components in a variety of ways the method of fabrication may be manual or automated in the manual method a technician can select a component of for example rectangular shape the technician cuts the block to proper dimension and size and carves out the desired anatomical features using standard laboratory tools to perform the procedure by automated or mechanical means an apparatus such as a cad camming machine is used to automatically shape the structural component into the form or contour desired the component is preferably in the form of a block also known as a blank for cad camming purposes the technicians and or practitioners collect three dimensional data regarding the final desired shape of the dental appliance or restoration and machine or mill the block or blank to achieve the final desired shape the data may be collected.