Dental Mock-Up
Dental Mock-Up in Basel
In brief: dental mock-up
A mock-up allows you to see and experience a proposed change to your smile before definitive treatment begins.. It is a temporary aesthetic preview placed on the teeth, usually transferred from a digital or conventional wax-up.
directly in the mirror and refine the design with us before veneers, crowns or more extensive restorations are made.
In our Basel practice, mock-ups can be combined with Digital Smile Design (DSD), photography and 3D scanning to support precise planning and communication before treatment.
Potential Benefits and Treatment Goals
Confidence and participation: you can assess the proposed smile before any definitive changes are made.
Tooth shape and proportions are adapted to your face, lips and the overall clinical situation.
Communication with the dental laboratory: the approved mock-up gives the technician a concrete reference for the intended final result.
A mock-up turns a digital concept into something you can see, speak and smile with.
The preview itself usually requires no tooth preparation and is reversible.
Treatment Process
Assessment & Digital Smile Design
High-resolution photographs, video analysis, 3D scanning and assessment of facial and dental proportions.
Digital wax-up / CAD design
Virtual planning of tooth shape and proportions according to functional and aesthetic principles.
Fabrication of the mock-up
A transfer key or template is produced and the planned design is temporarily transferred to the teeth with composite material.
Testing the mock-up in your mouth
You can see and feel the proposed smile while speaking, smiling and laughing.
Feedback & refinement
Length, width, contours and other details can be adjusted digitally or directly in the mock-up.
Approval & implementation
Definitive veneers, crowns or reconstructions are planned only after the design has been discussed and agreed with you.
Which treatments can benefit from a mock-up?
Veneers / no-prep veneers
Anterior aesthetic treatment
Komplexe Rekonstruktionen (Bisshebung / Full-Mouth-Rehabilitation)
Changes in tooth shape or length
Dental-arch or lip-support assessment
Aesthetic changes that can first be previewed without irreversible treatment
Scientific Context
An established tool in aesthetic treatment planning:
Mock-ups can improve communication between patient, dentist and dental technician and support more predictable transfer of a planned design.
Coachman C. et al. (2017). Int J Esthet Dent. PMID: 28697223
Patient understanding & decision-making:
Mock-ups can support shared decision-making and communication by allowing patients to evaluate the proposed design before definitive treatment.
Gürel G. et al. (2012). J Cosmet Dent. PMID: 23043755
Functional assessment in complex cases:
A mock-up can also be used to assess aspects such as occlusion, vertical dimension and phonetics when these are relevant to the treatment plan.
Fradeani M. (2006). J Esthet Restor Dent. PMID: 17105570
Planning precision:
Digital wax-ups can create a reproducible reference for provisionalisation and definitive restorative workflows.
Lin WS. et al. (2015). J Prosthet Dent. PMID: 25882655
Costs and Individual Treatment Planning
Depending on the scope, design and whether the workflow is digital or analogue.
Treatment | Typical range |
Aesthetic analysis & Digital Smile Design | CHF 300–600 |
Mock-up (per arch, laboratory-made / 3D-printed workflow) | CHF 300–1,000 |
Frequently asked questions
Does it hurt?
No. The mock-up itself is generally placed without drilling and often without local anaesthetic. It can be removed again.
How long can I wear it?
A mock-up is primarily intended for short-term visualisation and functional testing, from an appointment to several days depending on the material. It is a planning aid, not a definitive restoration.
Will the final veneer look exactly the same?
for the laboratory and definitive treatment. The final result is based on the approved design, while material properties, tooth preparation, shade and clinical details can still influence the final appearance.
Can I change the smile if the mock-up is not quite right?
Yes. That is one of its main purposes. You can show us what you like or would change, and we can refine length, shape, contours, tooth axes and later the shade concept before the definitive work is completed.
Summary
A mock-up is more than an aesthetic preview: it is a planning and communication tool. You can see and test the proposed result before definitive treatment and participate actively in the design process.
If you are curious how a planned smile change could look before committing to veneers or a larger reconstruction, we can create an individual mock-up in Basel and use it as a practical basis for discussion and treatment planning.
Diagnostics and Planning
Diagnostics should answer a specific clinical question. Clinical findings, photographs, scans and radiographs are therefore combined according to the indication rather than used routinely. The result supports an understandable diagnosis, comparison of alternatives and transparent treatment planning.
Limitations, Risks and Alternatives
Every diagnostic method has limitations. Imaging does not replace the clinical examination, and additional images are useful only when they can improve a specific clinical decision. Findings are therefore interpreted together with symptoms, the clinical examination and previous imaging.
Dental mock-ups in Basel: experience and clinical context
At Fachzahnarztpraxis Dr. Gasser in Basel, diagnostics are used to support structured clinical decision-making. Dr Thomas Gasser is a specialist in reconstructive dentistry (SSRD), holds an MAS in Oral Implantology (UZH) and is a member of the SGDMFR. Digital methods are used where they meaningfully complement clinical assessment and planning.More about Dr Thomas Gasser’s training and qualifications.
Related Topics on Our Website
Depending on the individual situation, Examination,Digital Smile Design or Panoramic Dental X-Ray may also be relevant.You can find further dental services in Basel in our treatment overview.
Literature and Scientific Context
PubMed PMID 39022468 – The Recent Use, Patient Satisfaction, and Advancement in Digital Smile Designing: A Systematic Review
PubMed PMID 41473620 – Digital Smile Design and Patient-Centered Outcomes in Esthetic Restorative Dentistry: A Systematic Review
The selected literature provides scientific context. Which findings are relevant to a specific treatment depends on the diagnosis, the starting situation, individual risks and the treatment goals agreed together.
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