Diagnostic wax up is making of intended restorative on dental casts for evaluation and planning final restorations, a wax replica of a proposed treatment plan. The diagnostic wax up is a method that can be used for single tooth implant, crowns, bridges or veneers. This method is especially important when cosmetic dentistry is planned. In this cases it is very important to do a diagnostic wax-up to help determine the eventual appearance and aesthetic result after treatment is performed.
This procedure usually involves taking a set of dental impressions of patients teeth, creating dental casts and then modifying the size, shape or position of patients teeth in model form prior to beginning final dental rehabilitation. This method gives important diagnostic information that will indicate whether a specific treatment is adequate. It also helps in the choice of a right treatment method and may indicate the need for orthodontic treatment or preprosthetic surgery. The diagnostic wax-up can be helpfull in evaluating the amount of available restorative space and point out any need for treatment in the opposing arch to obtain such space. It can also help in planing occlusal scheme and indicate which modifications are needed in the remaining dentition. Additionally, the diagnostic wax-up will upgrade and ease communication between the dentist, the technician, and the patient.