FAQ
How do I take a face photo for cosmetic planning?
A straight answer first, then the context behind it, from the technicians who do the work.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Photograph the patient at eye level with a neutral background, natural relaxed lips, and a full-face retracted smile in two separate shots. Use consistent diffused lighting from both sides and include a ruler or bite stick for scale. Add a 90-degree profile view. Those four images give the ceramist enough facial context to design proportionate, balanced esthetics before any wax-up or digital design work begins.
THE CONTEXT
What sits behind it
Most anterior esthetic failures trace back to photos taken under operatory light at an angle, or not taken at all. The ceramist is working blind without a face photo. Four shots cover the clinical minimum: relaxed lips at rest, full retraction showing the full arch, a lateral profile, and a close-up of the central incisors with a shade tab. Each shot requires the camera parallel to the floor and the patient sitting upright, not reclined.
For prosthodontists and general dentists planning multi-unit anterior cases, the photo series directly feeds the digital smile design step. At Dani Dental, the technician assigned to the case reviews every photo set before design begins. If the photos are insufficient, the technician contacts the practice directly, typically within the same business day, rather than guessing and building toward a result that will remake.
Some practices use a dedicated photo protocol card printed at chairside. That consistency matters more than camera brand. A modern smartphone with portrait mode and a ring diffuser produces usable images. The lab does not require a DSLR. What it does require is eye-level framing, no harsh shadows across the lip line, and at least one image that shows the patient's natural smile without retractors so tooth proportion can be evaluated against real facial dynamics.
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How do I take a face photo for cosmetic planning?
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This question is one piece of a larger workflow. The pillar page covers materials, turnaround, and how we build the case to your specification.
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