Knowledge and Practices of Digital Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry among Dental Professionals in Southern Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Survey

and objective color selection, yielding more consistent esthetic outcomes than visual assessment alone.6 In restorative fabrication, CAD/CAM technologies allow chairside production of ceramic crowns, veneers, inlays, and onlays with reduced treatment time while maintaining clinical reliability.7,8 Similarly, 3D printing supports efficient prototyping and fabrication IntroductIonThe rapid advancement of digital innovation has profoundly reshaped esthetic and restorative dentistry, influencing diagnostic approaches, treatment planning, and the manufacture of dental prostheses and restorations.1 Technologies such as intraoral scanners (IOS), computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), three-dimensional (3D) printing, digital shade-matching devices, Digital Smile Design (DSD), near-infrared transillumination (NIRI), and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted diagnostic systems have become increasingly integrated into contemporary clinical workflows.1,2 At the diagnostic stage, digital tools such as NIRI and AI-based algorithms have been shown to enhance the early detection of carious lesions, in some cases demonstrating superior sensitivity compared with conventional radiographic methods.3,4 For esthetic treatment planning, DSD software enables virtual simulation of anticipated outcomes, thereby improving patient communication and facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration.5 Digital shadematching systems and spectrophotometers provide reproducible