Cosmetic
Digital Smile Design, see the plan before you start.
A digital preview of your proposed cosmetic result — built from a 3D scan of your teeth and photographs of your smile — so you can review and refine the design before any treatment begins.
What Digital Smile Design is
Digital Smile Design (DSD) is a planning workflow we use before larger cosmetic treatment — typically veneers, full smile makeovers, or combined cosmetic plans involving multiple teeth. Rather than starting work and hoping you'll like the result, we design the new smile digitally first, walk through it with you on screen, and only proceed when the design fits what you want.
It's not a treatment on its own — it's the careful planning step that makes the treatment that follows much more predictable. The aim is simple: remove the "what will I actually look like?" anxiety before you commit to anything irreversible.
When DSD helps
DSD is most useful when the cosmetic change is significant or multi-tooth. Common scenarios:
- Porcelain veneers across the front teeth — choosing tooth shape, length, alignment, and shade together
- Full smile makeover — combinations of veneers, crowns, whitening and alignment
- Cosmetic reshaping of multiple teeth — gum-line height, asymmetries, midline corrections
- Wedding, public-speaking or high-visibility career moments — patients who want certainty about the outcome before booking treatment
For single-tooth cosmetic work or simple in-chair composite bonding, DSD usually isn't necessary — we'll talk you through whether your case needs it at consultation.
What to expect
-
Visit 1
Consultation, scan and photographs. We discuss your goals (what you want your smile to do — be more even, brighter, less worn, more youthful), photograph your smile from several angles, and take a 3D scan with our 3Shape TRIOS scanner. Visit time: 30–45 minutes.
-
Design
Digital design — 1 to 2 weeks. We work through your scan and photos to design the proposed result digitally. This includes tooth shape, length, alignment, gum-line considerations, and shade choices. You don't need to be in clinic for this part.
-
Visit 2
Review and refine. We walk through the design with you on screen — comparing the proposed result to your current smile, making adjustments to anything you'd like changed, and discussing the treatment that would deliver it. By the end of this visit you have a clear picture of (a) what the final result would look like, (b) the treatment plan and (c) the quote.
-
Decision
Yours to make. You're free to proceed with the planned treatment, modify the plan, or simply not go ahead. The DSD itself doesn't commit you to anything beyond the planning fee. Many patients use the design as a useful reference when they proceed with part of the plan later.
Common questions
How accurate is the preview?
The preview is a digital design, not a photograph of the final result. It's accurate for tooth shape, length, alignment and proportions because those are driven directly by the scan. Colour and translucency are an approximation — the final material (porcelain vs composite vs natural-tooth-with-whitening) determines the exact appearance. We discuss the gap between digital preview and physical outcome at the review visit so expectations match what's deliverable.
Do I have to go ahead with the treatment after DSD?
No. The DSD is a planning step — it produces a design and a treatment plan, but the decision to proceed is yours. The planning fee is separate from any subsequent treatment. Some patients use the DSD to think about cosmetic dentistry seriously and come back months or years later; others proceed straight after the review visit. Both are fine.
Can I see other patients' before-and-after results?
At consultation we can walk through past cases where patient consent has been given for in-clinic discussion. We don't publish before-and-afters broadly because published images aren't always representative of what your specific case can deliver — and AHPRA advertising rules around consent and testimonials are deliberately strict. Your own DSD is a more accurate preview anyway, because it's built from your teeth, your face and your goals.
Is DSD just for veneers?
No — though veneers are the most common destination. We use DSD whenever the cosmetic change is significant enough that "let's just try and see" feels risky. Full smile makeovers, combinations of treatments, and any case where the patient wants certainty before committing are all common DSD scenarios. Single-tooth cases or minor bonding usually don't need it.
How much does DSD cost?
There's a flat planning fee that covers the consultation, scan, photographs, design time and review visit. If you proceed with the planned cosmetic treatment, the planning fee may be credited against the treatment quote (similar to our approach on Spark aligners records). We confirm the figure at booking. See Payment options.
Will my health fund cover it?
Most health funds don't rebate cosmetic planning specifically. If the case involves clinically-indicated work (e.g. restoring damaged teeth), the treatment portion may be rebatable under major dental cover. The planning fee itself is generally out-of-pocket. We'll be upfront at consultation about what your fund will and won't cover.
Cost & funding
Flat planning fee — confirmed at booking. Covers consultation, scan, photographs, design time and review visit. Often credited against the treatment quote if you proceed. Treatment that follows is rebatable under your fund's cosmetic or major dental cover depending on the clinical indication. Full detail on Payment options.
Related services
Want to see your future smile before you start?
Start with a DSD consultation — scan, photos, design, honest review. Book online or call to chat first.