Digital smile design and AI smile simulation both preview a patient's future smile, but they differ in speed, cost, and chairside fit. Here's how to choose.
Both digital smile design (DSD) and AI smile simulation let a patient see their potential result before treatment. The difference is how fast you get there and how easily it fits a live consult.
DSD is a planning methodology that combines photos, video, and often 3D scan data to design a smile with precise measurements. It is powerful for complex cases, but it typically takes lab time or significant chair time, so the visual usually arrives after the appointment.
An AI smile simulator generates a photorealistic before-and-after from a single patient photo in seconds. It is built for the consult itself: snap a photo, pick the treatment, and show the result while the patient is still in the chair.
The moment of highest patient interest is during the consult. Tools that deliver the visual immediately capture that momentum, which is why fast simulation tends to lift case acceptance more than delayed design. DSD remains valuable for detailed clinical planning, while AI simulation wins on conversion.
Many practices use both: AI simulation to win the yes chairside, and DSD for the detailed execution plan once the patient commits. If your priority is closing more cosmetic cases, start with a fast simulator.
See how fast a chairside preview can be with the SmileViz AI smile simulator, or book a free demo.
Show patients their future smile in about 90 seconds and close more cosmetic cases chairside.
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AI smile previews that help patients say yes, before, during, and after the consult.