Smile makeover in Turkey: a plan, not a single treatment
A smile makeover is a combination of dental treatments planned together to change how your smile looks — the colour, shape, length and position of the teeth and the line of the gums. It might be whitening and a little bonding, or aligners followed by a few veneers, or, at the other end, a full set of veneers. What makes it a makeover is the plan: a dentist looks at your face, lips, teeth and gums as a whole and decides what to change and in which order.
That plan matters more than the price list, because the same wish — “whiter, straighter, more even teeth” — can be reached with very different amounts of drilling. Many of the “Turkey teeth” stories in the press are smile makeovers that went straight to a full set of crowns on healthy teeth. This guide explains the alternatives and why the conservative route should come first. For dental treatment in Turkey in general — the trip and how to judge a clinic — see the dental treatments guide; veneers are covered in detail on the veneers page.
A first plan is free: send photos of your smile and a short note on what you would like to change.
Who is a good candidate for a smile makeover in Turkey?
You are usually a good candidate if your teeth and gums are healthy or can be made healthy first, you have a clear idea of what bothers you about your smile, and you can plan the time the treatments need. Typical reasons are discoloured teeth that whitening alone has not fixed, small gaps, chipped or worn edges, teeth of uneven length, a gum line that looks uneven, and mild crowding.
Some situations need more caution or a different order:
- Gum disease: bleeding gums, loose teeth or deep pockets must be treated and stable before cosmetic work.
- Grinding or clenching: worn, flat teeth and a strong bite chip porcelain and bonding. A night guard is part of the plan, and sometimes the bite has to be corrected first.
- Large bite problems: a deep bite, open bite or a jaw that is far forward or back is usually a job for orthodontics, sometimes with jaw surgery, not for veneers.
- Teenagers and young adults: gums and teeth are still changing; most dentists advise whitening, bonding and orthodontics rather than veneers.
Being honest about your expectations helps too: a smile makeover can make teeth look healthier, lighter and more even, but the result should still look like your own teeth.
Digital smile design and the trial smile
Digital smile design (DSD) is how most clinics plan a makeover. The dentist takes facial photos, a short video of you talking and smiling, and a 3D scan of your teeth, then designs the new smile on screen in proportion to your face and lips.
- The design: shows the planned tooth shapes, length and gum line, and which teeth need treatment at all.
- The mock-up: the design is turned into a temporary resin layer placed over your own teeth without drilling, so you can see and feel the new smile in the mirror before anything is done.
- The decision: you can ask for changes — shorter, less white, more natural — at this stage, when they cost nothing.
A careful design also shows the limits: if the mock-up only works by making teeth bulky, the teeth may first need moving with aligners. Ask to keep the photos and design files; they are the record of what was agreed.
What a smile makeover can include
| Treatment | What it changes | Tooth structure removed | Approximate cost in Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitening | Colour of natural teeth | None | about €250–€400 |
| Invisalign / clear aligners | Position: crowding, gaps, rotations | None (some enamel polishing between teeth) | about €1,500–€4,500 |
| Composite bonding | Small chips, gaps, worn edges, shape | None or very little | about €100–€200 per tooth |
| Gum contouring | Uneven gum line, gummy smile, short-looking teeth | Gum tissue; bone only in crown lengthening | about €100–€300 per tooth or €400–€1,000 per arch |
| Porcelain / E-max veneers | Colour, shape, length, small misalignment | Thin layer of enamel, usually 0.3–0.7 mm | about €250–€450 per tooth |
| Crowns | Broken, heavily filled or root-filled teeth | Much of the outer tooth | about €200–€400 per tooth |
All prices are approximate, collected from published clinic price ranges, and are confirmed in a written quote. The clinics on this page show their own prices where they list them.
Conservative first: the order that protects your teeth
A well-planned smile makeover in Turkey follows the same sequence a careful dentist would use at home — from the least invasive step to the most, stopping as soon as the result is reached:
- Health first: cleaning, treatment of decay and gum disease. Cosmetic work on unhealthy gums or teeth does not last.
- Position: if teeth are crowded or rotated, straighten them with aligners first. Otherwise the dentist has to “straighten” them by cutting, which means more enamel lost.
- Colour: whiten the natural teeth, then wait about two weeks for the shade to settle.
- Shape: close small gaps and repair chips with bonding; even out the gum line with gum contouring.
- Veneers only where still needed: often four to eight upper front teeth rather than the whole mouth.
- Crowns only for teeth that need them: broken, heavily filled or root-filled teeth — not healthy ones.
Each step is reversible or nearly so until veneers and crowns. A plan that skips straight to step 6 on healthy teeth is the pattern behind many complaints that UK dentists, including the British Dental Association, have raised about dental work abroad.
How much does a smile makeover in Turkey cost compared with the UK?
Because a makeover is a combination, the total depends entirely on your plan. These examples are approximate and only show the range:
| Example plan | Turkey (approximate) | United Kingdom (approximate) | United States (approximate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitening + bonding on 4 teeth | about €650–€1,200 | about £1,200–£2,500 | about $1,500–$3,500 |
| Whitening + 6–8 E-max veneers on the upper front teeth | about €1,800–€3,800 | about £4,500–£9,500 | about $7,000–$18,000 |
| Aligners + whitening + bonding | about €2,000–€5,000 | about £4,000–£7,500 | about $5,000–$9,000 |
| Full upper and lower veneers (16–20 teeth) | about €4,500–€9,000 | about £10,000–£20,000+ | about $16,000–$40,000+ |
Cosmetic dentistry is not available on the NHS, so the UK figures are private fees. A Hollywood smile package corresponds roughly to the last row. When you compare quotes, check the material and brand of the veneers, whether temporaries, the mock-up and X-rays are included, how many trips are planned, and what the guarantee covers if something chips or comes off at home.
Smile makeover vs Hollywood smile
The two terms are often used as if they were the same. A Hollywood smile usually means a fixed package: veneers or crowns on all the teeth that show when you smile, in one bright shade. A smile makeover is the wider idea — whatever combination your teeth need, which can be far less. If you like the look of a Hollywood smile, you can still ask for it to be reached with whitening, aligners and fewer veneers, and in a shade that matches the whites of your eyes rather than the brightest on the shade guide. Very white, very uniform teeth are also the ones that look most artificial in daylight.
Gum contouring for a gummy or uneven smile
Teeth can look short or uneven because of the gum, not the tooth. Gum contouring (gingivectomy) reshapes the gum line with a laser or scalpel, usually under local anaesthesia, in one visit; it heals in one to two weeks. When bone also needs to be reshaped, the procedure is crown lengthening, and the gum needs several weeks — often about two to three months at the front — to settle before final veneers or crowns are made, otherwise the edge may show later. A gummy smile caused by the upper lip or the jaw is a different matter and is not corrected by gum contouring alone; a good dentist explains which applies to you.
How many trips and how long in Turkey
- Whitening and bonding: one trip of two to three days.
- Veneers: one trip of about five to seven working days — preparation, temporaries, try-in and bonding — if no gum surgery is needed first.
- Gum contouring plus veneers: often possible in one trip for simple contouring; two trips if crown lengthening needs months to heal.
- Aligners first: months of treatment at home with check-ups, then a later trip for whitening, bonding or veneers — see the Invisalign page for how follow-up works.
Plan a check-up with your dentist at home a few weeks after you return, and keep the design files, X-rays and the list of materials used. The way a request and quote work on our site is explained in how it works.
Questions to ask before you agree to a plan
- Which of my teeth need treatment, and why — and which could stay untouched?
- Could aligners, whitening or bonding replace some of the veneers or crowns?
- Will the veneers be veneers, or crowns? How much enamel will be removed?
- Can I see a mock-up on my own teeth before anything is drilled?
- What material and which laboratory, and what happens if a veneer chips at home?
The clinics in Turkey that offer smile makeovers are listed on this page with their reviews; you can also browse all dental hospitals and dentists.
Hospitals with Dental Treatments in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
A combination of dental treatments planned together to improve the look of your smile — for example whitening, aligners, bonding, gum contouring, veneers or crowns. The plan is based on your face, lips, teeth and gums and goes from the least invasive step to the most.
It depends on the plan: approximately €650–€1,200 for whitening and some bonding, about €1,800–€3,800 for whitening with six to eight veneers, and €4,500–€9,000 for full upper and lower veneers. These are approximate and are confirmed in a written quote.
A planning method using facial photos, video and a 3D scan to design the new smile on screen. The design is usually turned into a trial mock-up on your own teeth, so you can see the result before any drilling.
A Hollywood smile is usually a package of veneers or crowns on all visible teeth in one bright shade. A smile makeover is whatever combination your teeth need, which may be far less — whitening, bonding and a few veneers.
Not always. Colour can often be changed with whitening, small gaps and chips with bonding, and crowding with aligners. Veneers are used where these are not enough, often on the upper front teeth only.
Two to three days for whitening and bonding, about five to seven working days for veneers, and two trips if crown lengthening or aligners come first.
When excess gum covers the teeth, gum contouring can correct it in one visit. If bone also needs reshaping (crown lengthening), the gum needs weeks to months to settle before final veneers. A gummy smile caused by the lip or jaw needs a different approach.
Not if the plan is conservative. The problems known as Turkey teeth mostly come from crowns placed on healthy teeth. Ask which teeth will be treated, how much enamel will be removed and whether less invasive options would work.
It depends on the treatments: whitening lasts months to a few years, bonding several years with occasional repairs, and porcelain veneers usually many years with good care. Regular check-ups at home help them last.
Most steps are done under local anaesthesia or need none. Expect some sensitivity after whitening and veneer preparation, and mild soreness for a few days after gum contouring.