When it comes to prepping teeth for final restorations, precision and predictability are everything. The DSD Prep Guides are designed to help you work efficiently, reduce chair time, and preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible – all while staying aligned with the approved smile design.
In this article we will explain what the Prep Guides are and what to expect when you order them from the DSD Planning Center.
What are DSD Prep Guides?
The DSD Prep Guides are a set of guides that assist you in prepping the teeth for the final restorations. What makes them special is that, in addition to accuracy, they help you be as conservative as possible with tooth structure while still ensuring you have enough clearance for the final restorations. All the while, you will be following the Ideal Smile Design with the final shade in mind, which makes the DSD Prep Guides so unique.
With the help of the Quality Control guides included in the kit, you're not left guessing. The entire system is designed to help you prep confidently and stay on track with what was presented to the patient.
Read more: About DSD Planning Center products
What is the DSD Upper and Lower?
How can the DSD Temporary Anchorage Device (TAD) Guide transform your ortho cases?
What do you receive with your DSD Prep Guides order?
Each order includes four components that guide you through the preparation process step by step:
1.Reduction guides
These are the first to be used when there are areas that need to be reduced in order to fit the Technical Mockup additively. The goal here is to reduce the subtractive areas, meaning the parts that 'come out' of the smile design.
2. Technical Mock up
This is our ideal design, with the subtractive areas already reduced. You can prep directly through the mock up, which should be placed using a bis-acrylic resin.
3. Quality Control Guides (Incisal, buccal, and interproximal)
These allow you to check whether you have the proper clearance for the final restorations. You’ll be able to verify space in the buccal, incisal, and interproximal areas.
4. Provisional models
Once you’ve confirmed that the prep is correct and have scanned the preps, you can go ahead and create the temps using the model and a silicone index.
Why use DSD Prep Guides?
There are strong clinical and patient-centric reasons to integrate DSD Prep Guides into your workflow:
Conservation of tooth structure: Maintain as much healthy dental tissue as possible.
Accuracy: Prep exactly according to the approved smile design, reducing risk of error.
Efficiency: Save valuable chair time while delivering more predictable results.
Improved patient experience: Faster appointments and more comfortable procedures.
DSD Prep Guides are an essential tool for copy+paste dentistry, ensuring consistency between what the patient sees in the Motivational Mockup and what they ultimately receive.
When should you order them?
The DSD Prep Guides should be ordered after your Restorative Design is approved. We actually recommend them for every restorative case, especially when you are ordering DSD Natural Restorations.
Even though you can choose to print the guides yourself, we suggest ordering both the design and manufacturing through DSD, at least for your first few cases. That way you can experience the quality first hand.
If you’re moving forward with restorations made by your local lab or using in-house milling, you can also consider the DSD Over Prep Design as an alternative.
Not working with the DSD Planning Center yet?
Work with the DSD Planning Center team and benefit from DSD Prep Guides and other powerful tools through one of our membership options. Find the right fit for you here:
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