Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 21, 2025
Digital Hybrid Model Preparation for Virtual Planning of Reconstructive Dentoalveolar Surgical Procedures
Published on: August 5, 2021
Smile Design and Treatment Planning-Conventional versus Digital-A Pilot Study
Andrea Maria Chisnoiu1, Andreea Cristina Staicu1, Andreea Kui1
1Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Iuliu Hațieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Introduction:
Several methods are currently available for providing a preview of the prosthodontic treatment, including computer simulations, 3D models, wax-ups, and mock-ups. The aim of this study is to compare the aesthetic aspects and assessment of conventional versus digital prefigurative methods.
Methods:
The study included 5 patients and 3 observers, for each of whom a wax-up was made in both the conventional and digital techniques. The analog method, which implied a mock-up molding with a silicone matrix of the wax-up, was compared to a digital workflow, which consisted of a mock-up milling from a digital design. The patient's clinical mock-ups were recorded with digital photographs and assessed for nine different criteria by three observers.
Results:
The analysis has shown a balanced assessment of the aesthetic criteria without any significant difference between the analog and digital prefigurative methods.
Conclusions:
Between the two wax-ups (conventional and digital), there were some variations in smile and dental criteria; however, the obtained data were very similar. When it comes to the smile criteria, the general average grades of the mock-ups conducted using the conventional method are slightly higher than the ones using the digital technique.
