Digital Smile Design (DSD) is a digital planning method that uses photographs and videos of the patient to design the length, width and shape of the teeth before treatment begins. The design is then tried in the mouth with a temporary model, known as a mock-up, before any irreversible work is carried out on the teeth. This gives the dentist and the patient a shared, visible goal from the very start.
- Personalised planning based on photo and video analysis
- A mock-up trial in the mouth before any permanent step
- Teeth, gums and lips assessed as a whole
- The approved design transferred to CAD-CAM
Treatment process
Photos and video
Your face, lips and teeth are photographed from several angles, and short videos record how your teeth and gums show when you smile and speak.
Digital design
Using the software and your facial proportions, we decide whether the teeth should be longer or shorter, narrower or wider, more angular or more rounded.
Mock-up trial
The design is sent to the dental technician, and the resulting model is placed temporarily over your teeth, without any drilling, so it can be assessed and adjusted.
Approval and production
Once you approve the design, it is transferred to the CAD-CAM (CEREC) system, and the restorations are often completed the same day or the next day.
What is Digital Smile Design and how does it work?
Specialised software is used to support planning in cosmetic dentistry. By analysing photographs and videos of the patient, we decide before treatment starts whether the teeth should be longer or shorter, narrower or wider, more angular or more rounded.
The design looks beyond the teeth alone. The lip line, facial proportions and the amount of gum visible when you smile are all considered together, with the aim of creating a smile plan that suits your face and looks natural.
Why is the on-screen design tried in the mouth?
An image created on a computer is, in the end, a simulation, and on its own it can mislead both the dentist and the patient. What matters is that the design can be transferred accurately to the mouth.
For this reason, the planning data is sent to the dental technician, who prepares a model called a mock-up. The mock-up is placed temporarily in the mouth before any definitive, irreversible work is done on the teeth. You can see the new tooth shapes on your own face, while talking and smiling, and adjustments are made at this stage.
After your approval, the data is transferred to the CAD-CAM (CEREC) system. Because the restorations have already been defined, they can often be completed the same day or the next day.
Which materials are used in smile design?
For cosmetic work, glass-ceramic porcelains (E-max, Empress) are generally preferred because they transmit light in a way similar to natural teeth. These materials require particular care at every stage, from the first tooth preparation to final bonding.
Where there are missing teeth, bruxism (clenching or grinding) or darkened teeth that have had root canal treatment, zirconia crowns may be the more suitable option. The material is chosen individually after the examination and the smile design.
Gum aesthetics: when the gums show too much
Sometimes treating the teeth alone does not achieve the desired result. When a lot of gum shows on smiling (a gummy smile), or the gum levels are uneven, the overall look of the smile is affected.
In these cases, cosmetic periodontal plastic surgery (gingivectomy, gingivoplasty) can be added to the smile design. Excess gum tissue is reshaped using laser or electrosurgery, and where the gums have receded, grafting techniques can give them a new shape and position. After such procedures, it is usually better to wait 4–6 weeks before moving on to crowns or veneers.
Treatments that can be planned alongside smile design
Every treatment option has its own advantages and limitations in terms of time, scope and longevity. Smile design allows these options to be considered together.
Orthodontics
Following the principle of preserving what already exists, orthodontics is the first solution to consider for patients whose only concern is crowding. If the colour of the teeth is fine, treatment may be completed with orthodontics alone. In some cosmetic cases, orthodontic treatment is needed first so that porcelain restorations can sit in the right position. Depending on the case, treatment usually takes between around 6 months and 2 years.
Bonding
Bonding reshapes irregular or misshapen teeth by attaching tooth-coloured composite material to them, without cutting the tooth. It is usually completed in a single visit, is reversible and is easier to repair if it chips. It is less resistant to staining and fracture than porcelain.
Teeth whitening
A cosmetic treatment for people unhappy with the colour of their teeth, whitening lightens the teeth by a few shades without damaging the enamel. It can be done in the clinic (in-office bleaching) or at home under the dentist's supervision (home bleaching). Whitening agents do not change the colour of fillings or porcelain, so existing fillings may need to be replaced to match the new shade.
A smile is assessed as a whole
Creating an attractive smile is a team effort. However well aligned and well shaped the teeth are, the result will not look complete if the gums are not in harmony.
At our clinic in Denizli, Turkey, the treatment plan is prepared individually after a clinical examination, taking the teeth, gums, lips and face into account together.
Frequently asked questions
Is Digital Smile Design a treatment or a planning tool?
DSD is a planning method. The designed smile is then achieved with treatments such as porcelain veneers, crowns, bonding, orthodontics or gum contouring. Which of these are used is decided after the examination.
Are my teeth drilled during the mock-up?
No. The mock-up is a temporary trial placed in the mouth before any definitive, irreversible work is done. It lets you see the new tooth shapes, assess them and ask for changes.
Will my teeth look exactly like the design on screen?
The on-screen image is a simulation, which is why the design is tested in the mouth with a mock-up. The final appearance varies from person to person, depending on the teeth, the gums and the material used.
My gums show a lot when I smile. Can this be included in the plan?
Yes. Gum contouring procedures such as gingivectomy or gingivoplasty can be included in the smile design. After these procedures, there is usually a wait of 4–6 weeks before the restorations are made.
How long does treatment with smile design take?
It depends on the treatments planned. When only CAD-CAM porcelain restorations are involved, they can often be completed the same day or the next day after approval. If orthodontics or gum surgery is needed, the process takes longer.
I don't like the colour and shape of my teeth. Is there a solution?
The first step is to identify the actual problem and build the treatment plan around it. If the issue is colour alone and conditions are suitable, it can be addressed with whitening (bleaching). If the issue is shape, several options can be considered as part of smile design, such as veneers, ceramic crowns or bonding.
The information on this website is for general information only and does not replace an examination, diagnosis or treatment plan by a dentist. Treatment and outcomes vary from person to person.