Digital Smile Design in a partially edentulous case.

By Dr. Kamsiah BDS, MDSc
Prosthodontist, DSD Master and Instructor

We use DSD in Keynote to analyze this smile project. DSD has been an indispensable tool in our practice. It helps us in formulation of an aesthetic clinical diagnosis and treatment planning which is a fundamental in our approach to our patient, regardless what he opted to after presenting the case to him.

We use digital dentistry and image-editing software which are now part of our clinic’s armamentarium.

 DSD is a simple and economical way of offering the patient a predictable plan that can be visualised immediately or at least at the second appointment to demonstrate the aesthetic and functional changes possible with treatment with the aid of corresponding models.

DSD also helps me as a smile designer to communicate with the patient, the laboratory technicians and my clinical team in giving patient what we has designed and translate it to the final outcome of this case.

At the end of the day, what patient wants is a better smile as what we have shown him on the blueprint we presented. He could have these options :

A) removable partial Denture with veneers on existing front teeth
B) Fixed implant prosthesis with veneers or crowns on his existin and functional teeth.

C) A and B are only possible after we extract his retained roots and reinforce oral hygiene.