View Your New Smile Before Treatment Begins with Digital Smile Design in Chicago
Digital smile design in Chicago lets you preview your new smile before committing to cosmetic dental treatment. At our Chicago cosmetic dental practice, Dr. Bianca Clark uses EXOCAD design software, 3D scanning, and in-house 3D printing to plan porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and full smile makeovers around your facial features and goals.
You can review your proposed smile digitally, try a physical prototype, and request adjustments before permanent restorations are made. Ready to explore your options? Contact our dentist in Chicago by calling (312) 212-3304 to schedule a digital smile design consultation at 955 W. Monroe Street.
What Is Digital Smile Design?
Digital smile design (DSD) is a treatment-planning process that uses photographs, 3D scans, and specialized software to create a visual plan for your new smile. Rather than relying on descriptions or imagining how cosmetic changes might look, you can see a proposed result based on your actual teeth and facial features.
Dr. Clark considers factors such as tooth proportions, smile symmetry, gum display, facial structure, and tooth color when developing your design. These details help guide the appearance and function of your final restorations.
Unlike a smartphone filter or basic smile preview app, digital smile design uses clinical measurements and your dental scans to create a plan that can be translated into actual restorations.
Why Patients Choose Dr. Bianca Clark
Dr. Bianca Clark combines cosmetic dentistry with specialized training in biomimetic dentistry and recognition as a key opinion leader in digital printing technology.
Her practice uses EXOCAD to design smiles in-house, allowing Dr. Clark to remain directly involved from the initial planning stages through treatment. This continuity helps maintain communication between the design, trial smile, and final restorations.
Her approach also emphasizes patient involvement and natural-looking results. You have opportunities to ask questions, review proposed changes, and understand your options before committing to permanent treatment.
How Digital Smile Design Works at Our Chicago Dental Office
Most patients complete the process in approximately three to four weeks, from the initial consultation to final delivery. Your timeline may vary depending on the treatments involved and the complexity of your case.
1. Consultation and Smile Analysis
Your first visit begins with a conversation about what you would like to change. Dr. Clark takes photographs and digital images of your teeth and face, evaluates your dental health, and discusses your goals.
You can bring photographs of smiles you like or point out specific concerns, such as uneven teeth, discoloration, spacing, or worn edges. This information helps establish the direction of your treatment plan.
2. Digital Smile Design and Preview
Dr. Clark uses EXOCAD software to develop your proposed smile from your photographs and digital scans. You can review the design on screen and, in many cases, see how it looks when incorporated into photographs of your face.
Your feedback is part of the process. Design images can be shared by email, allowing you to review them at home and request adjustments before moving forward.
3. Trial Smile and Adjustments
Once the digital design is ready, Dr. Clark creates a physical prototype, often called a mock-up or trial smile. You can wear it temporarily to evaluate the appearance, proportions, and feel of your proposed smile.
A follow-up appointment is scheduled within 48 hours so you can discuss your experience. If adjustments are needed, the design can be refined before permanent restorations are fabricated.
4. Final Design and Fabrication
After you approve the design, Dr. Clark captures a final scan of the trial smile and sends the specifications to the ceramic dental laboratory. This helps the lab reproduce the approved shape, proportions, and appearance in your final porcelain veneers, dental crowns, or other restorations.
5. Final Try-In and Placement
Before permanent placement, Dr. Clark performs a wet try-in to evaluate the restorations’ fit, color, and function. You can review the result and approve the appearance before the restorations are bonded.
After treatment, regular dental cleanings and checkups help protect your restorations and the surrounding teeth and gums.
The Digital Dentistry Technology Behind Your Smile Design
Dr. Clark combines digital tools and restorative techniques to make smile planning more precise and predictable.
- EXOCAD and Digital Scanning: Specialized design software and intraoral scanners capture detailed information about your teeth and bite, helping guide the shape, proportions, and fit of your restorations.
- 3D Printing: In-house printing makes it possible to create physical trial smiles and models for evaluation before final treatment.
- CEREC Same-Day Technology: Suitable crowns and some veneers may be designed and fabricated in one visit. Availability depends on your restoration needs and treatment goals.
- Laser Dentistry and Biomimetic Techniques: Laser technology can assist with gum recontouring, while biomimetic principles guide efforts to preserve healthy natural tooth structure.
Your approved design is also shared digitally with the ceramic laboratory to help maintain consistency between planning and fabrication.
Learn more about the tools we use on our dental technology page.
Treatments We Plan With Digital Smile Design
Digital smile design is a planning method that can support several types of cosmetic and restorative dentistry.
- Porcelain Veneers: Preview changes to tooth shape, length, color, and spacing before your veneers are made.
- Dental Crowns: Plan restorations that complement the appearance and proportions of neighboring teeth.
- Smile Makeovers: Coordinate multiple cosmetic treatments to create a balanced overall appearance.
- KöR Teeth Whitening: Establish your desired tooth shade before selecting the color of permanent restorations.
- Gum Recontouring: Plan adjustments to an uneven gumline when it affects the balance of your smile.
You can also browse our before-and-after gallery to see examples of cosmetic dental results.
Is Digital Smile Design Right for You?
Digital smile design may be a good option if you:
- Are considering veneers or crowns and want to preview the results.
- Have chipped, worn, uneven, discolored, or gapped teeth.
- Feel your gumline or smile proportions look unbalanced.
- Are interested in a complete smile makeover.
- Want to participate in decisions about the appearance of your restorations.
A digital preview and trial smile provide a realistic planning reference, but they cannot guarantee an identical final result. Your tooth structure, bite, gum health, and restoration materials all influence what is possible. Dr. Clark will evaluate your dental health and discuss appropriate options before recommending cosmetic treatment. Any underlying concerns, such as decay or gum disease, should be addressed first.
Digital Smile Design Cost, Insurance, and Financing in Chicago
Digital smile design is generally incorporated into your overall treatment plan rather than charged as a separate service. Your total investment depends on the procedures involved, the number of teeth being treated, the materials selected, and the complexity of your case.
At your consultation, our team provides a written estimate so you can understand the expected cost before making a decision.
- Insurance: We accept most private dental insurance plans. Although cosmetic treatments are often excluded, certain restorative procedures, such as medically necessary crowns, may qualify for partial coverage. Our team can review your benefits.
- Financing: Flexible payment plans are available through Cherry, allowing you to spread treatment costs over time.
About Our Chicago Cosmetic Dental Office
Our cosmetic dental office is located at 955 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60607, in the West Loop near Fulton Market. We welcome patients from throughout Chicago, including the Loop, River North, South Loop, Lincoln Park, and West Town.
Patients also visit from surrounding communities such as Oak Park and Evanston. Because digital design images can be shared by email, some parts of the planning process can be completed remotely, although clinical appointments must take place in our office.
- Office hours: Monday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Phone: (312) 212-3304
- Directions: Get directions to our Chicago office.