Before deciding on aesthetic treatment, the most frequently wondered-about topic is how the process will proceed. How many times will you come to the clinic, how will you look in the interim period and at which stage is it possible to turn back? When designed correctly, the smile design process proceeds predictably step by step. As DijiDent Oral and Dental Health Polyclinic, at our clinic in Türkiye we share these stages from the start and do not want you to be faced with surprises.
Examination and Understanding Expectations
In the first stage, your oral health is evaluated holistically: caries, gum condition, old restorations, the bite relationship and any signs of teeth clenching. In the same session, we talk about your expectations. Sharing examples of smiles you like and dislike is very helpful at this stage; concrete references give clearer guidance than verbal descriptions.
Taking Digital Records
Photographs, a smile video, an intraoral scan and, if necessary, radiological images are taken. These records are the raw material of the design; missing or low-quality records directly reduce the accuracy of the plan.
Preliminary Treatments
If necessary, caries treatment, gum treatment and root canal treatments are completed at this stage. This step cannot be skipped; aesthetic applications are built on a healthy foundation. The process may take longer here for some patients, and this is not a delay of treatment but proceeding in the correct order.
Preparing and Sharing the Design
A plan based on facial analysis is prepared and examined together with you. Tooth lengths, forms, the midline and gum level are discussed. You are expected to state your objections at this stage; the design is revised until agreement is reached.
The Trial (Mock-up) Stage
The approved design is applied over your teeth with a temporary material. You see it in the mirror, talk and laugh. This stage is reversible: no permanent procedure has yet been done. The points you do not like are corrected here.
Application
According to the plan, orthodontic treatment, gum adjustment, composite application or porcelain/zirconia restorations are carried out. In cases where crowns are planned, tooth preparation is done using the trial form as a reference; this helps prevent more structure than necessary from being removed.
How Do You Look in the Interim Period?
In crown cases, you wait with temporary restorations until the permanent restorations are ready. These temporary structures are not just an aesthetic interim solution; they allow the gum to be shaped and reduce sensitivity. You do not need to take a break from your social life.
What Is Expected of You During Application
At this stage, your feedback is part of the process. If there is a sound you have difficulty with when speaking, a contact you notice when biting or an edge that bothers you during the days you spend with temporary restorations, be sure to note it and share it at the check-up appointment. These details noticed in the temporary period can be corrected before the permanent restoration is produced. Staying silent and waiting, thinking “it’ll pass anyway,” can cause the problem to be carried over into the permanent structure.
Delivery and Check-Ups
The permanent restorations are cemented after being tried in for fit, bite and aesthetics. Check-up appointments are then planned. In patients with a teeth clenching habit, a protective night guard comes into play at this stage.
The Time Between Appointments
The intervals left between stages are not arbitrary. Tissue healing after gum treatment, completion of orthodontic movements and laboratory production each require their own time. These waiting periods are not delays of treatment but the condition for a lasting result. We recommend that you take these intervals into account when planning your schedule.
How Many Appointments Are Needed?
In cases where only restoration is planned, the process can be completed in a few sessions. In situations requiring orthodontics or gum treatment, the plan extends over months. For our patients coming from abroad, the timeline is shared along with possible scenarios in the preliminary evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can wait for a while with temporary restorations; however, since these structures are not designed for long-term use, it is recommended that you complete the plan.
The process is reversible up to the trial stage. Permanent procedures begin after your approval.
Yes. Aesthetic application does not begin until caries and gum problems have been resolved.
It varies according to production and the scope of the case; the duration is communicated during planning.
No. Temporary restorations are both aesthetically and functionally suitable for continuing your daily life.
A revision is made. The permanent stage is not started without agreement.
Know every step of the process in advance.
Contact us to book an appointment to determine your personal timeline and treatment scope. Let us create your plan together at DijiDent Oral and Dental Health Polyclinic.
This content is for general information purposes. Stages and durations vary from person to person; planning is done by your dentist.
