A method of making a dental restoration, the method comprising the steps of: - providing a computer model of a three-dimensional reference surface that is based on a shape of at least one of: ∘ a tooth structure of a tooth to be restored in a patient's dentition, and ∘ a dental restoration for the tooth, - visualizing the three-dimensional reference surface; - providing a user operable virtual material deposition tool; - using the virtual material deposition tool to deposit a plurality of computer simulated layers relative to the reference surface, wherein for each - computer simulated layer the virtual material deposition tool is assigned - a material color, a material thickness and a material width or size; - assigning at least two of the plurality of computer simulated layers different tooth colors; - assigning at least one of the plurality of computer simulated layers with a virtual material thickness; - assigning at least one of the plurality of computer simulated layers with a virtual dimension lateral to the thickness; - user-controlled determining a position relative to the reference surface or relative to a deposited computer simulated layer by visually determining the position on the reference surface by the user, or if the reference surface at that position is already covered by one or more computer simulated layers, on the topmost computer simulated layer with respect to the reference surface; and - user-controlled positioning the virtual material deposition tool toward the determined position; - activating the virtual material deposition tool for depositing one of the plurality of computer simulated layers at the determined position; - providing a computer model of the tooth structure of the tooth to be restored; and - providing a computer model of the dental restoration based on the tooth structure model. - providing a computer model of a three-dimensional reference surface that is based on a shape of at least one of: ∘ a tooth structure of a tooth to be restored in a patient's dentition, and ∘ a dental restoration for the tooth, ∘ a tooth structure of a tooth to be restored in a patient's dentition, and ∘ a dental restoration for the tooth, - visualizing the three-dimensional reference surface; - providing a user operable virtual material deposition tool; - using the virtual material deposition tool to deposit a plurality of computer simulated layers relative to the reference surface, wherein for each - computer simulated layer the virtual material deposition tool is assigned - a material color, a material thickness and a material width or size; - assigning at least two of the plurality of computer simulated layers different tooth colors; - assigning at least one of the plurality of computer simulated layers with a virtual material thickness; - assigning at least one of the plurality of computer simulated layers with a virtual dimension lateral to the thickness; - user-controlled determining a position relative to the reference surface or relative to a deposited computer simulated layer by visually determining the position on the reference surface by the user, or if the reference surface at that position is already covered by one or more computer simulated layers, on the topmost computer simulated layer with respect to the reference surface; and - user-controlled positioning the virtual material deposition tool toward the determined position; - activating the virtual material deposition tool for depositing one of the plurality of computer simulated layers at the determined position; - providing a computer model of the tooth structure of the tooth to be restored; and - providing a computer model of the dental restoration based on the tooth structure model. <EOS>