Services
Digital Smile Design
We plan your new smile digitally first, so you can preview results before we begin treatment.
Why choose us
Benefits of Digital Smile Design
See It First
We plan your smile digitally so you can preview the design before treatment begins.
Designed For Your Face
Your smile is shaped around your facial proportions, not a one-size template.
Restraint And Artistry
We favor natural, believable results over anything overdone.
One Coordinated Plan
Our dental and aesthetic providers plan together under one roof.
Complimentary Consultation
We start with a free consultation, and financing through Cherry is available.
Most people can picture the smile they want, but describing it out loud is surprisingly hard. "A little whiter." "Less gummy." "Straighter, but still like me." Digital Smile Design exists to close that gap between what you imagine and what actually gets made — by letting you see a preview of your new smile before a single tooth is touched.
Digital Smile Design is a planning process, not a single procedure. We begin by gathering detailed photographs and video of your face at rest, while speaking, and while smiling, along with digital scans of your teeth and bite. Those records go into design software where Dr. Darian Anderson maps proportions, tooth length and width, midline, edge position, and the way your smile line relates to your lip and jaw movement. The result is a visual mock-up of the proposed outcome that you can review, question, and change.
That preview matters because cosmetic dentistry is permanent in ways patients don't always anticipate. Porcelain veneers, for example, involve preparing natural tooth structure. Seeing a design first turns a leap of faith into an informed decision. It also gives us a shared reference point — instead of trading vague adjectives, we're both looking at the same image and talking about millimeters.
Digital Smile Design helps a wide range of situations. Some patients come to us with worn or chipped front teeth, old bonding that has darkened at the edges, or crowns that never quite matched the neighboring teeth. Others have healthy teeth but dislike the shape, spacing, or the way their smile sits inside their face. We also work with patients planning full-arch restoration with All-on-4 or All-on-6 dental implants, where tooth position has to be designed from scratch and the stakes for getting it right are high.
The design process is also where different treatments get sequenced sensibly. A case might call for clear aligners first to move teeth into better position, which can reduce how much porcelain is needed later. Another might resolve beautifully with in-office or take-home whitening plus conservative composite veneers. And because we practice cosmetic dentistry and medical aesthetics in one studio, Sarah Garces, NP-C, can weigh in on facial balancing — how neurotoxins, dermal fillers, or microneedling might complement the plan — so lips, midface, and teeth are considered together rather than by three separate offices with three separate plans.
What Candidates Should Know Before Starting
Digital Smile Design is a planning tool, not a promise. The mock-up shows a proposed direction, and we're honest when your anatomy, bite, or existing dental health requires us to adjust it. Healthy gums and a stable bite come first; if we identify decay, periodontal concerns, or a bite issue that would undermine the result, we address that before cosmetic work begins. Our office brings together general dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, and oral surgery, so the groundwork and the aesthetics can be coordinated under one plan.
It's also worth knowing what makes a good design conversation. Bring photos of smiles you like — and, just as usefully, smiles you don't. Tell us how much change you actually want. Some patients want a subtle refinement nobody can name; others want a clear transformation. Both are valid, and the design stage is where that gets defined precisely.
- Photos of your face and smile, plus digital scans of your teeth and bite
- A visual mock-up you can review and revise before treatment begins
- Discussion of which treatments fit — aligners, veneers, whitening, implants, or a combination
- Coordination with facial aesthetics when it supports the overall plan
- A clear sequence, estimated timeline, and written treatment plan
Aftercare and How Results Hold Up
Once the design is finalized and treatment is complete, longevity comes down to habits and maintenance. We'll review brushing and flossing around veneers or implant-supported restorations, discuss protective nightwear if you grind or clench, and talk through which foods and habits tend to chip edges. Regular cleanings and exams let us monitor margins, gum health, and wear over time.
Whitening results are maintained with take-home trays and periodic touch-ups. If facial aesthetic treatments are part of your plan, Sarah will outline their own maintenance rhythm, since neurotoxins and fillers refresh on a different schedule than dental work.
Payment, Financing, and Booking
We are an out-of-network, fee-for-service studio and do not bill insurance. We welcome self-pay patients, and financing is available through Cherry so treatment can be spread over time. Your consultation is complimentary, and you'll leave with a clear plan and cost before committing to anything.
We'd love to meet you. Patients come to us from Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach, La Jolla, and throughout San Diego — call or request a visit online, and let's design your smile together.
The process
What to expect
- 1
Consultation And Photos
We talk through your goals and capture photos and records of your smile and face.
- 2
Digital Design Preview
We build your digital smile design and review it with you before moving forward.
- 3
Treatment And Follow-Up
Once you approve the plan, we complete your treatment and check in on your results.