Just like digital technology transformed the way we buy things, how we exercise and how we travel, a new technique in dentistry called Digital Smile Design (DSD) is transforming the patient journey.
Arden House Dental in Cheltenham is one of the few practices in the UK to embrace DSD. Here Sarah Farrier tells us a bit more about how it works, what it’s like to use and what our patients think about it.
“Digital Smile Design is an innovative software tool that uses digital photography and video to capture your true personality through your smile, your laugh, your speech and your facial expressions. I use photos and videos to analyse your natural movements, check the position, symmetry and measurements of your features and uses this information to create a digital impression of an improved smile. When I design your new smile, I take into consideration all of your concerns whether you want straighter, more even, better aligned or brighter teeth.”
“I can even show you your new smile, a trial smile, before you commit to treatment. You can preview the end result before we begin, you can tell us how you feel about the overall look. Details such as tooth length, spacing, shape and colour can be altered until you are happy with the final result. The DSD software enables us to work in extremely close collaboration with our lab technicians giving them a bespoke prescription to create your perfect smile. Every element is digitally designed, approved by you and implemented by us.”
This is a new and exciting field in dentistry and Arden House is one of the few practices in the UK to fully embrace DSD. Our patients are reporting higher satisfaction because they can see the end result and are aware from the beginning of the steps that are involved to give them their new smile. This makes the treatment phase more straightforward, which can lead to savings in both cost and time.
Sarah says “We haven’t had a case yet where a patient has said they didn’t like what they saw but the beauty of DSD is that if they did, we haven’t done anything yet! DSD is a wonderful communication tool and gives me a really clear way of discussing the proposed treatment so the patient stays in control.”
