Before you cut a tooth, a wax-up is the argument for the treatment plan — and CAD makes that argument faster and reversible.
From scan to wax-up
- Scan the prepped or diagnostic cast (or IOS the mouth).
- Design the ideal shape digitally; export to a wax disc.
- Mill the wax-up; try it in, photograph, adjust virtually, re-mill.
Why milled wax beats hand wax
A milled wax-up is symmetric to 0.05 mm and reproducible — you can make three variants for the patient to compare in one visit. Iterate the file, not the hands.
Use a high-contrast wax disc so the margin reads clearly at the try-in.
From wax-up to approved smile
- Design the wax-up in the CAD shell; 2D photos alone miss the 3D lip line.
- Print or mill the wax and seat as a mock-up with tray adhesive — no cement.
- Photograph at rest and smile; adjust the wax while the patient watches.
- Once approved, scan the wax-up as the blueprint for the final restoration.
A diagnostic wax-up is the contract; everything after it just delivers it.