The Cost of Indecision in the Planning Phase (Wax-up, Mock-up)

Where Decisions Are Made — Now or Later

Two work models:

Model 1: Chairside Decisions (No Planning)

• Patient prepared.
• Laboratory "intuitively" prepares the restoration without a wax-up or mock-up.
• Restoration brought to the patient chairside.
• Patient sees the restoration and says, "Maybe whiter?", "Maybe taller?", "This isn't what I imagined."
• Decision made at the last minute, chairside, under pressure.
• Alternative 1: Restoration is changed (additional modifications).
• Alternative 2: Restoration is cemented, but the patient is dissatisfied (poor reviews, no referrals).

Model 2: Decisions During Planning (Wax-up / Mock-up)

• Patient prepared.
• Before final material fabrication: physical wax-up or digital mock-up.
• Dentist and patient view the proposed restoration.
• Decisions on shape, size, color — everything agreed upon before the lab invests in final material.
• Laboratory produces based on an approved plan, not intuition.
• Restoration brought to the chair, patient has no "surprises" because they already saw it.
• Higher satisfaction, minimal adjustments.

Financial difference between models: several thousand PLN annually.

The Chain of Consequences of Poor Planning

Real-life scenario: No wax-up or mock-up before production:

1. Lab doesn't know exactly what to do, performs "standard" work.
2. Restoration brought to the chair.
3. Patient disappointed (color, shape, size not as expected).
4. Dentist tries to "salvage" the situation chairside: grinds, corrects, explains to the patient why it looks this way.
5. Patient doesn't trust — "this isn't it" — so the restoration goes back to the lab for rework.
6. Lab grinds ceramic, changes color, changes shape (this costs the lab 300–500 PLN net loss).
7. Restoration returns to the patient, again to the chair (second finalization appointment, actually a "repair" appointment).
8. Patient agrees, but is annoyed (long process, twice in the chair instead of once).
9. Patient reviews: average instead of excellent.
10. No recommendations, as the patient was disappointed with the process.

Cost of this one case: +2 appointments, +500 PLN lab costs, -1 referral.

Potential Costs

Calculation for a practice with 80 cases/year:

Scenario without wax-up / mock-up:

• On average, 15% of cases require rework (industry data for practices without planning).
• 80 cases × 15% = 12 cases for correction.
• Costs per case for correction: 500 PLN (materials, laboratory time, logistics).
• Total reworks: 12 × 500 PLN = 6000 PLN/year.
• Additional appointments (2 appointments per corrective case): 12 × 2 = 24 additional appointments.
• 24 appointments × 45 minutes = 18 hours of wasted chair time.
• 18 hours × 100 PLN revenue/h = 1800 PLN lost revenue.
• Total: 7800 PLN/year on reworks.

Scenario with wax-up / mock-up:

• On average, 3–5% of cases require rework (industry data for practices with planning).
• 80 cases × 4% = 3.2 cases for correction.
• Costs per case: 500 PLN.
• Total reworks: 3.2 × 500 PLN = 1600 PLN/year.
• Additional appointments: 3.2 × 2 = 6.4 appointments.
• 6.4 appointments × 45 minutes = 4.8 hours of wasted time.
• 4.8 hours × 100 PLN/h = 480 PLN lost revenue.
• Total: 2080 PLN/year on reworks.

Difference: 7800 – 2080 = 5720 PLN/year savings on one parameter alone (reworks).

Add to this higher patient satisfaction (better reviews, more referrals) — and the effect is even greater.

Wax-up or Mock-up — Which to Choose

Physical Wax-up:

• What it is: A tooth model sculpted in wax, precisely showing how the restoration will look.
• Pros: Haptic (patient feels the texture), tactile, suitable for pragmatic patients.
• Cons: Technician's time (1–2 hours per case = cost 200–300 PLN), waiting for wax-up (additional 2–3 days), must be physically prepared.
• Cost: 200–300 PLN per case.

Digital Mock-up:

• What it is: 3D visualization on the patient's teeth (sometimes with 3D printing of a temporary, sometimes as software only).
• Pros: Fast (ready in 2–4 hours), accurately shows what it will look like, easy to edit, patient sees it on their own teeth.
• Cons: Requires scanning, requires good patient communication skills.
• Cost: 50–150 PLN per case (cheaper than wax-up, as software is less expensive than physical technician work).

Verdict: Digital mock-up for technologically advanced practices. Physical wax-up for patients who need "to touch," but it's more expensive and slower.

A laboratory like deltalabs. can offer both. The choice depends on patient preferences and clinic workflow.

How to Integrate Mock-up into Your Workflow

Step 1: Scan (you already have it)

After tooth preparation, you perform an intraoral scan. You have a digital model of the patient's tooth.

Step 2: Design (laboratory in 4 hours)

The laboratory prepares the restoration design in software (e.g., Exocad, Cerec), precisely showing how the crown, bridge, or veneer will look.

Step 3: Temporary Print (optional, +2 hours)

If you want the patient to "feel" the restoration: the laboratory 3D prints a temporary so the patient can see and touch it.

Step 4: Approval (patient discussion, 30 minutes)

You show the patient the design. The patient can request "change shape," "whiter," "more rounded edges." Everything can be digitally edited before the laboratory touches the final material.

Step 5: Production (laboratory 2–3 days)

The approved design goes to production. The laboratory knows exactly what to do because it has patient approval.

Total additional time: 4–6 hours (for the laboratory only), not for you. Cost: 50–150 PLN per case, but can save several hundred PLN on reworks.

FAQ

Does the mock-up always need to be printed?

No. A digital mock-up in software is sufficient for 80% of patients. 3D printing is an extra step for pragmatic patients who want to touch.

Isn't 2–4 days too long?

A wax-up takes 2–3 days. A digital mock-up is 4 hours + optional 3D printing for +2 hours. Faster, cheaper, more efficient.

What if the patient doesn't agree with the mock-up?

You edit digitally, show the new version, and the patient reviews it again. This is 15–30 minutes of editing instead of 500 PLN for a final rework. Always better.