Accuracy of Temporary Laminate Restorations With Digital Workflows

This pilot clinical study investigates the dimensional accuracy of temporary laminate veneer restorations designed using two distinct digital smile design (DSD) workflows. Five healthy volunteers with intact maxillary anterior dentition and good oral hygiene were enrolled at Marmara University, Faculty of Dentistry. Two digital workflows were compared: (1) a 2D-to-3D transformation approach using SmileCloud, where extraoral photographs are initially used for two-dimensional planning before conversion to 3D models, and (2) a direct three-dimensional design workflow using Exocad Smile Creator, which integrates intraoral scans and extraoral photographs at the initial stage. A total of 60 provisional laminate veneers were virtually designed and fabricated using stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing technology with ceramic-based resin. Dimensional measurements of mesiodistal tooth widths, inciso-gingival lengths, and intercanine distances were obtained from both digital designs and printed restorations. Statistical analysis compared the accuracy of virtual-to-physical transfer in both workflows. The findings aim to provide preliminary evidence on the reliability of digital smile design approaches for esthetic treatment planning and fabrication of temporary restorations.