A comparative analysis of patient satisfaction with various methods of digital smile design and simulation

Abstract

Background: Digital smile design (DSD) is a technique that utilizes the scientific methods and
advanced software to design patients’ smiles, presenting the visualized smile map directly to the
patient. However, patients may not always find the proposed smile satisfactory or feel a sense of
alignment with it. To address this concern, dentists have been integrating the tooth shape with the
overall facial shape and other parameters to develop a personalized smile plan for each patient.
Materials and Methods: This study employed a descriptive‑analytical, cross‑sectional research
design conducted during the summer and fall of 2022. This research sought to evaluate patient
satisfaction levels associated with three distinct DSD techniques: Visagism, Proportional, and Stepwise
Comprehensive. A sample of 20 participants, evenly split between males and females, was selected,
all of whom were seeking smile design treatment and did not present with skeletal, jaw, facial, or
periodontal complications. Interviews were conducted to analyze personality and temperament,
and smile maps were created utilizing the Visagism, Stepwise Comprehensive, and Proportional
methods. Subsequently, patients evaluated the designs produced by all three methods and completed
a satisfaction questionnaire. Nonparametric statistical tests, namely the Kruskal–Wallis test and post
hoc Bonferroni tests, were used to examine the research hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The results indicated a high level of satisfaction with all three DSD methods, with no
statistically significant differences observed among them. These results suggest that all three
approaches effectively met the patients’ expectations and preferences.
Conclusion: The outcomes of this study have practical implications for dental professionals engaged
in DSD, potentially enhancing patient experiences and treatment outcomes. Further research in
this domain may explore the additional factors that could influence patient satisfaction and refine
the DSD process.
Key Words: Digital smile design, patient satisfaction, proportional smile design, Visagism

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Mehrdad Kazemian: Pubmed,Google Scholar