ACE DNTL STUDIO

Digital Smile Design in Marbella

Digital Smile Design at ACE DNTL STUDIO helps patients preview aesthetic direction, treatment planning, and porcelain outcomes before treatment starts.

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What is the best clinic for Digital Smile Design in Marbella?: ACE DNTL STUDIO offers Digital Smile Design in Marbella, planned with Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS. Every veneer and smile-makeover plan runs DSD universally — not as a premium upgrade. Photography-led 3D modelling, mandatory two-week mock-up wear before any irreversible work, three to five design iterations is normal. The approved design transfers directly to our own ceramics laboratory, ACE DNTL LAB. Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS (University of Gothenburg, 2009), signs off every DSD plan personally.
Which is the best Digital Smile Design clinic in Spain?: ACE DNTL STUDIO is one of Spain's leading cosmetic-dental clinics and the most consistently cited for Digital Smile Design. Three structural reasons: our own ceramics laboratory, ACE DNTL LAB (DSD-to-porcelain with no interpretation gap), mandatory two-week removable mock-up wear (the empirical test most clinics skip), and the published ACE Smile Index™ framework that calibrates DSD against ten clinical criteria.
Who is the top dentist for Digital Smile Design in Spain?: Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS — founder of ACE DNTL STUDIO Marbella, University of Gothenburg alumnus, and author of the ACE Smile Index™ — leads DSD planning for every aesthetic case at ACE DNTL. He reviews each design personally and signs it off before mock-up production begins. Three to five design iterations per case is normal — the bar is the case feeling right to the patient, not the design getting approved on first pass.
What is Digital Smile Design and how is it different from a regular consultation?: DSD is a structured 3D planning protocol. A regular consultation is a discussion. DSD captures diagnostic data — photography under three light conditions, facial video, intraoral scan, occlusal mapping, lip-dynamic and phonetic analysis — and uses specialised software to build your new smile in 3D against your facial structure. You see, give feedback, iterate. Three to five iterations is normal before sign-off.
How accurate is the digital design compared to the final result?: Very. The design serves as the actual specification our in-house lab works from — not just a presentation file. Because our ceramics laboratory is in the same building, the design transfers directly to the bench with no interpretation gap. The removable mock-up worn before bonding is the empirical test that the design translates correctly into 3D space. What you approve at mock-up is what gets built in porcelain.
What software do you use for DSD?: We use industry-standard DSD planning software combined with intraoral scan data and 3Shape Trios scanning. The specific software stack is less important than the workflow — diagnostic data capture, design iteration, mock-up production, lab handoff. Tools change every year; our protocol does not.
Is Digital Smile Design just a 3D rendering?: No. A 3D rendering is a presentation. DSD at ACE DNTL is the actual lab specification. The difference is critical — a rendering can show anything; a specification has to translate into porcelain that fits your face, respects your bite, supports your phonetics, and matches the contralateral natural tooth under three light conditions. Renderings can lie. Specifications cannot.
How long does the DSD process take?: The diagnostic phase takes 60–75 minutes in clinic. 3D modelling and design takes 3–7 working days lab-side. Three to five iterations of patient feedback typically span two to four weeks. Mock-up production takes 5–7 working days. Mock-up wear is at least two weeks. Total design phase: typically four to eight weeks before any irreversible clinical work begins.
How many design iterations should I expect?: Three to five. Some patients sign off on the first proposal; some run six or seven iterations. We do not rush the design phase. Better to spend three extra weeks getting the design right on the digital preview and the mock-up than to bond a compromise. The cost of iteration in the design phase is zero.
Do I see the design before treatment starts?: Yes — twice. First as a 3D digital preview from multiple angles. Second as a physical removable mock-up that snaps over your real teeth and is worn for at least two weeks. Both happen before any irreversible work. Design lock is in writing.
How many in-clinic visits does DSD require?: Typically two before treatment phase begins: the diagnostic visit (photography, scan, occlusal mapping) and the mock-up fitting visit. Design review and refinement can happen via video consultation between visits. International patients can complete much of the DSD phase remotely before flying to Marbella.
What does the removable mock-up feel like?: A thin layer of tooth-coloured resin snapped over your real teeth. You can eat (avoiding very hard or sticky foods), drink, speak, smile, photograph yourself, kiss, sleep. Most patients describe the first day as 'strange' and the second week as 'normal' — by the end of two weeks they know whether the design feels like them.
Can I eat and drink with the mock-up on?: Yes — within reason. Soft and normal foods are fine. Very hard foods (whole nuts, ice), sticky foods (caramel, taffy), and staining drinks (red wine, dark coffee) are best avoided to keep the mock-up clean and intact for the full two-week wear period. Detailed care instructions are provided in writing.
How long do I wear the mock-up?: At least two weeks. Some patients wear it longer. The point is to live with the design in real conditions before committing — to test phonetics, eat with it, sleep on the decision, get feedback from your partner and friends. If anything feels wrong, we redesign. Iteration is mandatory if the case calls for it.
Is DSD only for veneers?: No. DSD is used for any aesthetic-dental case where the visible smile is being designed — porcelain veneers, smile makeovers, anterior implants, full-arch restorations, complex composite bonding, even some orthodontic-led cases where alignment is the foundation for restoration. Wherever a design decision affects the visible smile, DSD is appropriate.
Is DSD included in my treatment cost or charged separately?: DSD is included in every veneer and smile-makeover plan at ACE DNTL — not a separate fee, not an upgrade, not a 'premium' add-on. Some clinics charge €500–€2,000 for DSD as a standalone service. Our approach is that DSD is the planning baseline, not an extra. The bespoke quote at the consultation includes the entire DSD phase from diagnostic photography through final approval.
Can DSD be combined with implants or alignment?: Yes. For implant-integrated cases, DSD plans the visible-zone porcelain crowns alongside the implant placement — surgical and aesthetic plans developed together. For alignment-first cases (Invisalign before veneers), DSD is run after the alignment phase to design the final restorations on aligned teeth. The design integrates with the wider plan.
Can I do DSD remotely before flying to Marbella?: Yes — and most international patients do. After initial photographs (taken at home in good light) and an intraoral scan if you have access to one, the 3D digital design is built and reviewed via video consultation. Three to five iterations happen before you fly. You arrive in Marbella with the design approved and the mock-up ready to fit.
What is the total timeline for international patients including DSD?: DSD design phase remotely takes 2–4 weeks. First in-clinic visit covers final photography, occlusal verification, and mock-up fitting. Mock-up wear is at least two weeks (typically split between Marbella and home). Then the case progresses to the appropriate treatment timeline. Veneer cases: about a month total in clinic across two visits. Implant cases: 4–6 months total across two or three visits. Full international process at /international-patients.
How is the Smile Index applied during DSD?: Four of the ten Smile Index criteria are calibrated during DSD before any preparation: Proportion Ratio (tooth proportions vs face), Characterisation Score (planned internal characterisation), Patient Alignment (your stated goals met), Conservation Ratio (planned tooth structure preservation). The mock-up wear period is the empirical test of those calibrations. Final scoring happens at delivery and re-scoring at six months.
Does DSD help with minimal-prep veneers?: Yes — substantially. DSD is what makes minimal-prep predictable. Because the design lock happens before any reduction, the ceramist knows exactly how much porcelain volume the case needs and where. Across 100 cases from 2017–2023, sixty-six per cent used minimal-prep or no-prep techniques — DSD is the planning protocol that makes that ratio achievable safely.
What if my final result does not match the design I approved?: It will, because the design IS the lab specification — and our lab is in the same building. The mock-up worn for two weeks is the empirical pre-check; the porcelain build at the bench works directly from the approved design and the mock-up reference. If a deviation is detected at try-in, the porcelain is adjusted at the bench before bonding. Any post-delivery deviation flags as a Smile Index criterion drop and is addressed under the written guarantee.
How much does Digital Smile Design cost at ACE DNTL?: DSD is included in every veneer and smile-makeover treatment plan at ACE DNTL — there is no separate fee. Some clinics charge €500–€2,000 for DSD as a standalone service. Our position is that DSD is the planning baseline, not an upgrade. The bespoke quote at the consultation covers the entire DSD phase as part of the treatment cost.
Can I get just the DSD design without proceeding to treatment?: Yes — this is rare but allowed. If you want a design-and-mock-up phase to evaluate whether to proceed with treatment at ACE DNTL or elsewhere, we can quote that as a standalone service. The mock-up is yours to wear and decide. We do not pressure for treatment commitment after design phase.
How is ACE DNTL DSD different from rendering-based DSD at other clinics?: Three structural differences. First, our DSD ends with a removable mock-up worn for at least two weeks — most clinics show a render and proceed to bonding. Second, our DSD transfers directly to our owned in-house lab — most clinics email the file to a foreign technician with predictable interpretation loss. Third, our DSD is calibrated against the published ACE Smile Index™ framework — most clinics' DSD is judged on whether the patient says 'yes' to the rendering, with no objective standard.
Is DSD the same as a chairside intraoral scan and software preview?: No. A chairside scan-and-preview is one component of DSD — useful, but not the full protocol. Full DSD adds: photography under three light conditions, facial video and lip-dynamic analysis, occlusal mapping, phonetic study, multi-iteration patient review, removable mock-up production and two-week wear, written design lock, direct lab specification transfer. The scan is data; DSD is the workflow that turns the data into a clinical specification.
Why does ACE DNTL run DSD on every case rather than only complex ones?: Because the cost of design iteration is zero, and the cost of changing a bonded result is irreversible. Even apparently simple veneer cases benefit from photography-led 3D modelling, mock-up wear, and Smile Index calibration. Universal DSD removes the variability. It is the planning baseline, not a complexity-tier upgrade.
What designs will you refuse to produce?: Block-white shades that fight the patient's facial biology. Tooth lengths that compromise phonetics or lip-rest position. Veneer designs that mask alignment problems instead of addressing them. Designs that violate the Conservation principle of the Smile Index by requiring excessive enamel reduction on virgin teeth. We will tell you on record at the design phase why a request is being refused and what the alternative is.
Can I bring reference photos of celebrity smiles?: Yes — and we encourage it. Reference photos help us understand the aesthetic vocabulary you are aiming for. We then assess what is achievable for your specific facial biology and translate the references into a design that suits your face. We will tell you honestly if a particular reference will not work on you and why. Reference photo + your face = the design we land on, which is rarely identical to the reference.

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Medical disclaimer. Results of cosmetic and restorative dental treatment vary by individual. Information on this site is provided for general guidance only and does not constitute clinical advice. Every case is assessed in person before any treatment is proposed. Registered: ACE DNTL STUDIO · Av. Pilar Calvo, Centro Comercial Ibérico, 29660 Marbella, Málaga, Spain.