Smile and aesthetics
Smile Design
Smile design is a way of planning rather than a single procedure. Your face, lips, gums and teeth are assessed together, and possible changes can be seen digitally, and often as a trial in the mouth, before anything permanent is done.
- Records
- Photographs, short video and intraoral scan
- Trial
- Temporary mock-up in the mouth when suitable
- Scope
- May include whitening, bonding, veneers or crowns
- Visits
- Depends on the plan
What is it?
Smile design looks at the colour, length, width and alignment of the teeth and the gum line together with how your face and lips move. The aim is a plan that suits your own features and protects the health of your teeth and gums.
In digital smile design, facial and smile photographs, short videos and intraoral scan data are combined. The midline, smile line and tooth proportions are studied on these records and possible changes are drafted. The draft lets us look at what could change together and helps you make decisions with something concrete in front of you. It is still a guide rather than a promise of the exact final result.
Smile design does not automatically mean veneers or crowns. For some people whitening or small composite additions are enough. Others first need gum treatment, management of tooth grinding or an orthodontic opinion. We explain the planning steps in detail in our article on digital smile design.
When can it be considered?
- Being unhappy with the colour of your teeth
- Front teeth that look uneven in length or shape
- Gaps, chips or worn edges on the front teeth
- Old fillings or crowns that no longer match
- Concerns about how much gum shows when you smile
Examination and planning
The first appointment is a conversation about what you would like to change and what you want to keep. The examination checks for decay, gum disease and tooth grinding, which need to be addressed first, and X-rays are taken if needed.
Facial and smile photographs are then taken from standard angles and the teeth are scanned with an intraoral scanner. We review the digital draft together. When suitable, the design is tried in the mouth with a temporary material placed over your own teeth, so you can see it in the mirror, while talking and while smiling before anything permanent is done.
How the process works
Consultation and examination
Your goals are discussed and oral health is assessed; X-rays are taken if needed.
Digital records
Photographs, a short video and an intraoral scan document the starting point.
Design and trial
The digital draft is reviewed and, when suitable, tried in the mouth.
Plan and consent
Options, sequence, number of visits and maintenance are agreed.
Treatment
The planned steps (for example whitening, bonding or veneers) are carried out in order.
Review
Your bite, gums and restorations are checked and a maintenance interval is set.
Digital tools that may be used
- Facial and smile photographs
- Standardised photographs help assess how tooth proportions relate to your face and lips.
- Intraoral scan
- A 3D digital model of the teeth is captured without impression trays and forms the basis of the design.
- Digital design
- The midline, smile line and tooth sizes are planned on screen and options can be compared side by side.
- Trial in the mouth
- The design is tried over your teeth in a temporary material; at this stage the teeth are not reduced.
Aftercare
Recommended
- Keep your review appointments
- Brush twice a day and clean between the teeth
- Wear a night guard if one was recommended for grinding
Best avoided
- Biting hard objects such as ice, nut shells or pens with the front teeth
- Leaving long gaps between check-ups
Whether a treatment suits you can only be decided after an examination. Timelines and stages vary from person to person.
Frequently asked questions
How many visits does smile design take?
It depends on what the plan includes. Plans limited to whitening and composite additions can be shorter, while plans with veneers or crowns need a few visits because of the laboratory stage. The number of visits becomes clear after the examination and records.
Will the result look exactly like the digital design?
The digital draft is a guide. Materials, your natural tooth structure and conditions in the mouth can lead to small differences. A trial in the mouth helps narrow that gap and makes the decision more concrete.
Do my teeth have to be reduced?
That depends on the plan. Whitening and most bonding do not need reduction. Porcelain veneers usually need a small amount of enamel removed, which is irreversible, so that decision is made only after a trial and a detailed discussion.
Can a design be made from photos I send from abroad?
Photos are useful background, but they are not an examination. Tooth and gum health, your bite and existing restorations can only be assessed in person, so the design is prepared after that assessment.
Related articles
Intraoral Scanner vs Traditional Impressions: Accuracy and Comfort
An intraoral scanner records your teeth in 3D without impression putty. Here is how it compares with traditional impressions on comfort, time and accuracy, and where conventional methods are still preferred.
Veneers or Crowns? How the Right Restoration Is Chosen
A veneer and a crown are different restorations, and zirconia is a material rather than a treatment. This guide untangles the terms and explains the clinical factors behind the choice.
How Digital Smile Design Works: Process, Mock-Up and Realistic Expectations
Digital smile design is a way of planning treatment, not a treatment in itself. This guide walks through photos, scans and the in-mouth mock-up, and explains what a digital design can and cannot show.
Related treatments
All treatments- incisors, canines, premolarsPorcelain VeneersThin ceramic shells bonded to the visible surface of front teeth, considered for colour, shape and small gaps.
- incisors, canines, premolars, molarsComposite Fillings and BondingTooth-coloured composite used to treat decay, repair chips and make small cosmetic changes, usually in a single visit.
- incisors, canines, premolarsTeeth WhiteningLightening tooth colour with peroxide gels under a dentist’s supervision, in the practice or at home with custom trays.
Questions about smile design?
You can send your questions on WhatsApp or reach the practice by phone.