Digital Smile Design Mockup Process

Digital Smile Design (DSD) has revolutionised how dentists undertake smile makeovers and aesthetic dentistry. A relatively new concept that was developed by Dr Christian Coachman, it has revolutionised cosmetic dentistry.

The premise of DSD is a careful analysis of the patients facial and dental proportions, using a series of high-quality digital photographs. The ideal smile and tooth proportions are designed on a computer which is then fabricated into either a traditional wax-up or 3D printed.

More importantly, DSD is an incredibly powerful patient communication tool. Each design can be clearly visualised by the patient and improved with the patient's ideas. This in turn greatly improves the experience of the patient and builds trust.

People want to know what they will look like before anything is done and this is a fast and elegant way to provide them with this information.

There are a number of Smile Design applications available on the market. The most well known is called Digital Smile Design developed by Christian Coachman. Other applications include 3Shape’s Smile Design Software and Smile Designer Pro.

In this video, a quick DSD mock-up is completed. This is purely for communication purposes to show the patient what can be achieved and can be done at the same appointment, taking no longer than 5-10 minutes. This is a great way to gauge patients interest in cosmetic dentistry and you can go further if they wish.