Abstract
Contemporary dental treatment planning increasingly emphasizes a “begin with face” approach, recognizing the face as the primary reference for achieving optimal esthetic and functional outcomes. Traditional workflows often rely solely on intraoral landmarks, which may limit the predictability and harmony of the final result. In contrast, integrating facial analysis into treatment planning enables clinicians to align dental structures with overall facial proportions, enhancing both precision and patient-specific customization.
With the rapid advancement of digital dentistry, a wide range of technologies now support this face-driven workflow. Tools such as facial scanners, intraoral scanners, and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) facilitate comprehensive data acquisition, while advanced software platforms enable integration, simulation, and design across multiple domains. These technologies improve diagnostic accuracy, streamline communication, and enhance treatment predictability.
This lecture provides a systematic overview of various digital dental tools and compares their capabilities in capturing measurements, analyzing anatomical relationships, and supporting treatment design. Emphasis is placed on how each modality contributes uniquely to the workflow, from facial reference acquisition to prosthetic planning, implant positioning, and orthodontic simulation.
By demonstrating practical applications across restorative dentistry, implantology, and clear aligner therapy, this session highlights how a face-driven digital workflow can be effectively implemented in daily clinical practice. The objective is to provide clinicians with a clear understanding of which tools to use, what parameters they can measure, and how they can be integrated to achieve precise, predictable, and esthetically driven outcomes.
Learning Objectives
- Discuss the concept of “begin with face” and its importance in modern dental treatment planning.
- Explain how facial reference integration improves predictability and precision in dental outcomes.
- Describe the roles of key digital dental technologies, including facial scanners, intraoral scanners, and CBCT.
- Compare the capabilities of different digital tools in measurement, analysis, and treatment design.
- Demonstrate how to integrate multiple digital datasets into a cohesive, face-driven workflow.
- Apply face-driven digital planning principles to restorative, implant, and orthodontic cases.
