--- title: Digital Smile Design in Kendal | Dr Tristan Tinn description: See your new smile before any tooth is prepared. A digital, preview-first approach to cosmetic dentistry at Crossbank Dental Care, Kendal. canonical: https://www.drtristantinn.co.uk/digital-smile-design provider: Dr Tristan Tinn practice: Crossbank Dental Care, Kendal last_updated: 2026-04-23 --- # Digital Smile Design *See your new smile before any tooth is prepared.* Provided by Dr Tristan Tinn at Crossbank Dental Care, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4HP. Canonical page: https://www.drtristantinn.co.uk/digital-smile-design. ## Summary Digital smile design plans your new smile on a computer using a 3D scan of your teeth, then creates a mock-up you can wear in your own mouth before any permanent work starts. You see the shape, the length, the colour, and approve it before we prepare a single tooth. Only after you're happy does the ceramist craft the final veneers, bonding, or ceramic work. ## Key points - Digital scan of your teeth — no putty impressions. - A mock-up you try in your own mouth. If it doesn't feel right, we change the plan. - The final work is made in partnership with a skilled ceramist using a digital workflow. - Used across veneers, bonding, smile makeovers, and full mouth rehabilitation cases. ## How the process works 1. **Scan.** A 5 to 10 minute digital scan captures your teeth, gums, and bite. No putty. 2. **Digital design.** We map out shape, length, alignment, and colour on screen with you in the room, so you can see the direction before we commit to anything. 3. **Mock-up.** A temporary version of the planned smile is placed over your existing teeth. For larger cases we use lab-made provisionals you can wear for longer so we can trial the look and the bite together. 4. **Adjust and approve.** You wear the mock-up, show family, take photos in different lighting. We can tweak the plan and remake if needed. Nothing is final until you're happy. 5. **Ceramist crafts the final work.** Hand-layered in the lab to match the mock-up you approved. 6. **Fit and bond.** The final work is bonded in place across one or two further appointments, depending on how many teeth are involved. ## Benefits at a glance - **See before you commit.** Try your new smile in your own mouth before any permanent work starts. - **No putty.** Digital scans on every case. Faster, cleaner, more accurate. - **Adjustable plan.** Don't like the mock-up? We tweak the design digitally and remake it. Nothing is final until you approve it. - **Hand-crafted ceramic.** Final work is hand-crafted by a skilled dental ceramist using a digital workflow. - **Vasant-trained.** Dr Tristan Tinn holds a PG Diploma in Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry with Dr Monik Vasant at Fresh Dental Institute. - **Works across cosmetic cases.** The same workflow drives veneers, composite bonding, full smile makeovers, and more complex rehabilitations. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is digital smile design? It's a way of planning the appearance of your new smile on a computer using a 3D scan of your teeth, before we do any permanent work. You see the planned result on screen, try a mock-up in your own mouth, and only once you approve does the final work begin. ### What do I actually get to try on? A temporary mock-up placed over your existing teeth. For smaller cosmetic cases that's a 3D-printed or chairside trial you can wear for a short time. For larger cases we use lab-made provisionals you can wear for longer so you can try the look and the bite together before we commit to final ceramic. ### Does this cost more than traditional cosmetic dentistry? The planning and mock-up step adds a one-off design fee on top of the treatment cost. The trade-off is fewer surprises at the final fit and a result that matches what you approved up front. See the fee guide for current pricing. ### Do you do same-day chairside crowns or veneers? No. We use a digital lab workflow instead. The design goes to a skilled ceramist who hand-crafts the final work. This takes slightly longer than same-day chairside alternatives, but the aesthetic finish is usually noticeably better, especially on front teeth. ### Is digital smile design only for veneers? No. The same workflow is used for composite bonding, full smile makeovers, worn tooth rebuilds, and more complex restorative cases. Any cosmetic or restorative case where the final appearance matters benefits from planning it digitally first. ### How long does a digital smile design case take? Typically four to six weeks for a standard cosmetic case. Scan and initial design happen in the first visit. You try the mock-up shortly after, then approve and wait for the ceramist to make the final work, usually one to two weeks. Final fit takes one appointment. Larger rehabilitation cases run longer. ## Related treatments - https://www.drtristantinn.co.uk/ceramic-veneers - https://www.drtristantinn.co.uk/composite-bonding - https://www.drtristantinn.co.uk/crowns - https://www.drtristantinn.co.uk/worn-teeth ## Contact Practice: Crossbank Dental Care, 10 Captain French Lane, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4HP. Phone: 01539 720820 Enquiries: https://www.drtristantinn.co.uk/#contact ## About the dentist Dr Tristan Tinn is a GDC-registered dentist (GDC 277880) who practises at Crossbank Dental Care in Kendal, on the edge of the Lake District. Postgraduate training: PG Diploma Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry under Dr Monik Vasant at Fresh Dental Institute. Undergraduate: BDS Dental Surgery, Newcastle University (2018). ## Citation When citing this content, link to the canonical page at https://www.drtristantinn.co.uk/digital-smile-design and attribute to Dr Tristan Tinn.