What does “Dental mock-up” mean?
A mock-up reproduces the planned tooth shape using temporary materials or similar methods. Before final treatment, it helps assess length, width, and harmony with the lips.
Original spelling: 목업(Mock-up)
Check the shape off-screen
Plans created as models or digital designs can be tested in the mouth. It helps to discuss whether your teeth feel too long or thick and how they look when you speak and smile.
The range that can be checked depends on the application method. A mockup with material added without actual tooth preparation may feel thicker than the final restoration.
Not the same thing as the final tooth
Mock-up materials and final restorative materials differ in color, translucency, surface texture, and strength. A mock-up can guide design adjustments, but its appearance does not guarantee the final result. Having a mock-up does not determine whether the final treatment can be performed without tooth preparation.
Digital mock-ups show the planned shape on a screen or in a file; intraoral mock-ups test it in the mouth. Temporary veneers are provisional restorations used before the final restoration. Their roles partly overlap with mock-ups, but their purpose and timing differ.
What should I convey?
Describe the tooth length and front-to-back thickness, how your lips close, your speech, and the impression of your smile. Distinguishing appearance preferences from functional discomfort helps refine the design and treatment plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you see when you look at the mockup?
You can assess the planned length, width, and volume and how they harmonize with your lips. You can also describe your speech and how your lips close, although the mock-up does not reproduce every property of the final material.
Does doing a mock-up mean you have already started treatment?
A distinction must be made between testing teeth before preparing them and checking the provisional form during preparation. You will first be told when tooth preparation will take place.
If the mockup is comfortable, will there be any problems after final attachment?
Mock-up is an important confirmation step, but final fit, color, adhesion, and occlusion must be checked separately. You must also understand the difference between provisional materials and final restorations.
3 things to check before mock-up consultation
Please review the questions to ask before deciding on treatment and the treatment standards of TU Dental Clinic.
- Sufficient understanding
Does the clinic tell me the purpose of the mock-up and the scope that can be confirmed?
TU Dental Clinic’s treatment standardsTU Dental Clinic explains the different roles of the screen design, temporary preview, and final try-in. It also explains that temporary materials do not exactly reproduce the translucency and texture of the final ceramic.
What to check in simulation, smile preview, and try-in - Preservation of natural teeth
Does the clinic clearly explain which stage is before or after tooth preparation?
TU Dental Clinic’s treatment standardsTU Dental Clinic examines the remaining tooth tissue and determines the scope of treatment by distinguishing between functionally necessary treatment and aesthetic adjustments.
TU’s natural tooth preservation treatment philosophy - A choice suited to your condition
Does the clinic check patient opinions on length, thickness, and pronunciation?
TU Dental Clinic’s treatment standardsTU Dental Clinic uses an intraoral preview to assess length, proportions, volume, and harmony with the face and lips. Color and bite are checked again at the final try-in.
What to check in simulation, smile preview, and try-in
