Digital Smile Design

One of the scariest parts of having cosmetic dentistry done (for both dentists and patients) is not knowing the outcome. Thanks to innovation in dental science and technology, we are now able to create smiles digitally, eliminating the dental anxiety that stems from not knowing how your smile will look. Being faculty at USC, our dentists at the forefront of dental technology and treatment and have the resources, technology, and research at our fingertips to provide the absolute best dental treatment.

What is Digital Smile design?

The term “Digital Smile Design” is simply referring to the visual process we use to plan treatment so we can see what your final smile will look like before we begin treating you.

First we take a series of photos to show and analyze the relationship between the lips, teeth, eyes, and face as a whole.
Next we address the patient’s chief complaints & expectations.
Then, we take measurements and make recommendations based on the patient’s wants and aesthetic principles.
Finally, we present a mockup of what your new smile will look like. On the left, we have pictured the original smile, and on the right, a digitally-produced mockup of the proposed smile.

Digital Smile Design: a plan for success

• Improved Communication

  Digital Smile Design improves communication between patients and dentists by allowing patients to show their dentist what they like and don’t like about their smile. It also allows dentists to more clearly communicate to patients what they are planning to do, as opposed to the old way of just explaining what they’re going to do verbally, leaving much room for misinterpretation.

• More Beautiful Outcomes

  Planning makes perfect. Digital planning makes it possible for dentists to see what they’re envisioning, allowing them to refine their vision before they start working on you.

• No Wasted Time

  In the past, the only way for patients to see what their future smile would look like is to take impressions and have the doctor make mockups for patients to wear, which could take up to weeks. This is still an important part of the process for patients to see the restorations in person, but now we are able to eliminate up to weeks of waiting and multiple rounds of revisions by generating an image of what your smile will look like in minutes instead of weeks. This makes the whole process more efficient, saving both dentists and patients valuable time and money!

• Reduce Dental Anxiety

  Not knowing how your smile restoration can be stressful. We have found that when our patients help us create their own smiles, they fall in love with what they’re going to look like. Being able to physically see what your finished smile is going to look like makes a huge difference in feeling comfortable going into your procedure.