A method of designing a virtual 3D model of a dental restoration for a target site of a patient's set of teeth, the method including-obtaining a digital 3D representation of the set of teeth, the digital 3D representation comprising a section corresponding to the target site； determining an insertion path for the dental restoration to the target site； and designing the virtual 3D model of the dental restoration based on the digital 3D representation of the set of teeth, where the designing includes generating an outer surface of the virtual 3D model, where the determined insertion path and the outer surface of the designed virtual 3D model provide that a dental restoration manufactured from the designed virtual 3D model can be moved along the insertion path to the target site.
