When patients can see it, the conversation changes
A future smile is difficult to picture from a description alone. With TRIOS Smile Design you design it together, on screen, in just a few minutes.
How to use TRIOS Smile Design
Import a photo from your phone or media library. Facial reference points align automatically, so no manual setup is needed.
Browse tooth shapes and sizes with a live preview updating as you scroll. Refine proportions and shade together, chairside.
and share
Slide between before and after to show the transformation.
The details that make the difference
Smile library
Browse hundreds of tooth shapes
Scroll through an extensive library of tooth shapes, sizes, and styles – with a live preview updating on your patient's photo as you go. A "Library Suggestions" function narrows the options to the three shapes that best match your patient's natural dentition.
Full-arch design
Design beyond the front teeth
TRIOS Smile Design supports both upper and lower teeth, including posterior teeth for patients with wider smiles. Adjust tooth shade and brightness individually or across the full arch – for a complete, realistic picture of the proposed outcome.
Side-by-side comparison
Compare designs before deciding
Save multiple smile design variants in the same case and view them side by side. Patients can weigh their options in the moment – or take the comparison home to reflect on before their next appointment.
Before/after slider
See the transformation instantly
A simple slider reveals the difference between your patient's current smile and the proposed design. Move it back and forth during the consultation to show the full impact of the treatment.
Lab sharing
Connect the design to your lab
Export the smile design directly to your dental lab through 3Shape Communicate. The design serves as a visual reference for the wax-up, reducing back-and-forth and helping align expectations across the full treatment workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
DEEP DIVE
COLLAPSE
What is digital smile design software and how does it work?
Digital smile design software creates a visual representation of a proposed treatment outcome on a patient's photo before any work begins. TRIOS Smile Design is 3Shape's digital smile design application, included with most TRIOS intraoral scanners. It combines the patient's intraoral scan with a facial photograph to produce a smile visualization. Dentist and patient work through the design together in TRIOS Smile Design – adjusting tooth shape, size, proportion and shade in real time, chairside
How do I show patients what their smile will look like before treatment?
TRIOS Smile Design lets you do this chairside, in approximately 4 minutes. Take a photo of your patient's smile, open TRIOS Smile Design, and select from an extensive library of tooth shapes and styles. The design overlays onto your patient's actual photo – not a generic avatar – giving them a visualization of what their smile could look like.
What treatments can TRIOS Smile Design be used for?
TRIOS Smile Design can be used to produce smile visualizations across a range of aesthetic and restorative cases, including veneers, crowns, crown lengthening and teeth whitening. It supports both upper and lower teeth, including posterior teeth for patients with wider smiles, and can simulate shade changes for whitening cases. Smile designs can be shared with lab partners to help guide them in their restorative design.
How does smile design software help with patient communication?
Describing a proposed treatment in words leaves room for misinterpretation. TRIOS Smile Design gives both dentist and patient a shared visual reference – something concrete to discuss, adjust and agree on together. Having a design on screen that the patient can see and better respond to the proposed treatment and what the patient can expect.
Can I save and compare different design options in TRIOS Smile Design?
Yes. TRIOS Smile Design lets you save multiple design variants within the same case and compare them side by side. This is useful when a patient is weighing different tooth shapes, sizes or shades keeping the conversation visual and concrete rather than abstract.
Can TRIOS Smile Design connect to dental lab workflows?
Yes. TRIOS Smile Design integrates directly with dental lab workflows through 3Shape Communicate or Unite Cloud. The finished design file can be shared with your lab as a visual reference for the wax-up, helping align expectations between clinic and lab before production begins. This reduces back-and-forth and helps avoid interpretation gaps downstream.
Does TRIOS Smile Design work chairside on a tablet or cart?
TRIOS Smile Design runs on the same workstation as your TRIOS scanner and works seamlessly with TRIOS MOVE Pro – 3Shape's purpose-built chairside cart with an 18.5" full HD touchscreen. Patients can see their TRIOS Smile Design result up close, in the chair, without having to turn toward a wall-mounted screen or PC.
What's the difference between TRIOS Smile Design and other smile simulation tools?
Unlike standalone smile simulation tools that require separate purchase and manual data import, TRIOS Smile Design is built directly into the TRIOS scanner workflow. The patient's intraoral scan and photo are already in the system, so there is no switching between platforms.
Is TRIOS Smile Design included with my TRIOS scanner?
TRIOS Smile Design is included with most TRIOS scanners at no additional cost. If you are already scanning with a TRIOS intraoral scanner, you likely have access to TRIOS Smile Design without any additional purchase. Contact your 3Shape reseller to confirm availability for your specific scanner model.
Do I need prior design experience to use TRIOS Smile Design?
No prior digital design experience is needed to use TRIOS Smile Design. The application includes automatic facial reference point positioning, a guided step-by-step workflow and a library of predefined tooth shapes – so the focus stays on the aesthetic conversation with your patient. Most dentists complete a full smile design in TRIOS Smile Design in approximately 4 minutes.
COLLAPSE
1. Design a new smile in approximately 4 minutes
2. Overlays onto your patient's actual photo
3. Extensive library of tooth shapes and styles
4. Save and compare multiple design variants side by side
5. Design across the full arch, including posterior teeth
6. Share designs directly with your lab
7. Auto-positioning lets you focus on aesthetics
8. Included with most TRIOS scanners