What is Digital Smile Design?

As the name would suggest, Digital Smile Design is all about creating a perfect smile by making use of technology. Previously, the dentist would have a look at your teeth and then explain the different options that you would have going forward, to a better looking smile. You would get a sense of this from before and after pictures of results on other patients, not being absolutely sure of whether this would translate as well into your smile. This scenario is now a thing of the past. The Digital Smile Design software system has put an end to this. Now patients have the opportunity to see beforehand, what the end product of their teeth will look like with the cosmetic dental option that is chosen. Not only that, but patients also get a say in the final outcome. Seeing as it is your smile, your say does in fact matter. So once the dentist does the imaging and you get visual evidence of what your teeth will look like after cosmetic treatments, you can in fact ask them to change up certain aspects and play around with different outcomes. Having that final outcome in front of you before even starting with treatments is so important. Cosmetic dental treatments are irreversible so you would want to be absolutely sure that you would be happy with your teeth. Having that perfect smile is so much more than just being an attractive feature on a person. A good smile can give off a layer of confidence to be more social and also act as a warm invitation in social settings. It is not just about the aesthetic features of a good smile, but the health of the teeth as well. Many people want to undergo some sort of dentistry to improve the look of their teeth but then decide against it because procedures such as veneers and crowns are irreversible and that question arises, of what if they will not like the results. The Digital Smile Design now puts all of their fears at ease.

The Digital Smile Design Process

Digital Smile Design is when our dentist will use digital photography and a special computer software programme to create the perfect smile for a patient. The software is relatively new and dentists will have to go through an intensive training to be able to offer this service at their practice. Family Dental Care offers Digital Smile Design in Durban. Our dentist has been intensively trained in using the system and is certified to offer this service. Each patient is unique and will present with very different problems and desires. This is why the Digital Smile Design is more than just dentistry. It is also an art form of sorts. The software was not created to give everybody the same perfect, plastic smile. Our dentist will use the software to create a smile that will be the perfect fit for your face. In simple cases, the difference is easily seen on the screen. In more complicated cases, a 3D model may be made so that our patient can physically inspect their new smile even before they get it. The final step of the process is to execute the smile created on the computer, into the patient’s mouth. Digital Smile Design is the future and this is a concept we can expect to see much advancement on. This truly is an exciting time in dentistry. The software makes dentistry more efficient with an emphasis on precision and better communication between the dentist and their patient.

More about Digital Smile Design in Durban

Digital Smile Design has been around for a couple of years now and has shown to have increased the quality of work by the dentists using the software. So it is not just patients who will benefit from having access to the software. The following treatments can be planned out using the software.

• Whitening- teeth whitening is a popular dental cosmetic option, but how bright do you go? Too white a smile and it begins to look unnatural. Not white enough, and you would feel like it was a waste of time. With Digital Smile Design, you would get an idea of what the various shades would look like against your face and then go with the one best suited to you.
• Veneers- veneers are the first example of an irreversible dental treatment, albeit the one with the least amount of invasiveness. A very small part of the tooth is removed to place the veneer. Here, it is more than just knowing the final result. A veneer can be shaped and sized a number of ways which will alter the look of the tooth and ultimately, the smile. 
• Crowns- veneers cover the front portion of a tooth. Crowns cover the entire tooth. They are used if there is a loss of tooth structure.
• Dentures- dentures are a removable option, if all of the teeth are lost. Again, the patient will have a say in the design of the denture.
• Implants- implants are a permanent solution to loss of teeth. Being permanent, patients would really want to be a part of the design process and have access to better communication tactics. With the Digital Smile Design, this is possible. Once the implant is in, the crowns would have to be designed to go over them and patients can see in advance, how their new set of teeth is going to look.
• Orthodontic- orthodontic results can be attained with the software. With regard to teeth straightening, this is especially fascinating. In the past, patients would not really know the outcome of going through extensive orthodontic intervention until their treatment time was done. This could take a couple of years of uncertainty, of knowing that they would get straighter teeth but not how it would look. With Digital Smile Design, the patient will get a 3D view of what this outcome will be even before starting any treatment.