A smile makeover is a custom combination of cosmetic and restorative dental treatments — usually some mix of veneers, crowns, whitening, implants, and gum contouring — planned together as one project rather than done one at a time. In the UK, prices vary widely: simple procedures like whitening start around £300, while complex transformations involving multiple porcelain veneers or implants range from £3,000 to £12,000+. This guide breaks down exactly what’s included, what it costs component by component, and how it compares to going abroad.
What Is a Smile Makeover?
A smile makeover isn’t a single procedure — it’s a treatment plan built around your specific smile, combining whichever cosmetic and restorative work is needed to fix the issues you actually have: chips, stains, gaps, missing teeth, or misalignment. A dentist maps out your case first, then sequences the right mix of treatments, rather than fixing problems one at a time over several years.
What’s Included in a Smile Makeover?
Most smile makeover plans draw from the same core toolkit, combined based on your case:
| Component | Typical UK Cost | Fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Porcelain veneers | £700 – £1,200 per tooth | Shape, colour, chips, minor gaps |
| Dental crowns (private) | £400 – £1,500 per tooth | Damaged or heavily filled teeth |
| Teeth whitening (professional) | £300 – £600 | Discolouration, stains |
| Dental implants | £2,000 – £3,000 per tooth | Missing teeth |
| Gum contouring | £500 – £1,500 | Gummy smile, uneven gumline |
| Composite bonding | £300 – £600 per tooth | Small chips, gaps (lower cost, less durable) |
Most patients don’t need all six — a typical plan combines two or three of these. For a deeper look at how veneers and crowns compare, see our guides on veneers cost and dental crown cost.
How Much Does a Full Smile Makeover Cost?
The total depends entirely on scope:
| Scope | Typical UK Cost |
|---|---|
| Minor makeover (whitening + bonding, a few teeth) | £1,200 – £3,500 |
| Moderate makeover (whitening + 4–6 veneers/crowns) | £4,500 – £10,000 |
| Complete makeover (8–10 veneers/crowns, one arch) | £5,600 – £15,000 |
| Full-mouth makeover (both arches, possible implants) | £15,000 – £30,000+ |
A full-arch porcelain smile makeover is essentially what’s marketed as a Hollywood smile — the price climbs quickly because it’s priced per tooth, not as a flat package.
Is a Smile Makeover Covered by the NHS?
Not usually. The NHS covers restorative work that’s clinically necessary — a crown for a damaged tooth, for example, under Band 3 (£332.10) — but cosmetic elements like veneers, whitening, and gum contouring purely for appearance are private-only. A smile makeover almost always mixes some NHS-eligible work with private cosmetic work, which is why total costs vary so much between patients.
How Long Does a Smile Makeover Take?
A simple whitening-and-bonding case can be done in a single visit. A full veneer or crown case usually takes 2 to 4 visits over 2–4 weeks privately in the UK: consultation and planning, tooth preparation and temporaries, then final fitting once the lab work is ready. Cases involving implants take longer — often 3 to 6 months total — because the implant needs time to fuse with the jawbone before the final crown goes on.
Smile Makeover Cost: UK vs Turkey
Because a smile makeover is priced per component and per tooth, the UK total for a complete case can rival the cost of a car — which is exactly why “smile makeover cost” searches so often lead patients to compare countries. Turkey — and Istanbul specifically — has become a major destination for this precise reason: the same materials (porcelain, zirconia, implant brands like Straumann or Nobel Biocare) at a fraction of the UK private clinic overhead.
| Scope | United Kingdom (private) | Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Complete makeover (8–10 veneers/crowns) | £5,600 – £15,000 | £1,600 – £3,600 |
| Full-mouth makeover (both arches) | £15,000 – £30,000+ | £3,600 – £7,200 |
Prices shown for Turkey are general market estimates, not a confirmed DentSpa quote. Your exact cost is confirmed after a free consultation.
Thinking About It Abroad?
DentSpa in Istanbul is a European award-winning clinic that has treated 50,000+ international patients, with in-house prosthodontists planning full smile makeover cases from start to finish — veneers, crowns, whitening, and implants included in one coordinated visit. Every case starts with a free digital consultation and a written treatment plan before you travel, so you know your exact price and timeline before booking anything.
Want to know what your smile makeover would look like and cost? Send DentSpa a few photos for a free, no-obligation assessment and a personalised plan from our specialists. Book a free consultation or message us on WhatsApp.
Sources
- NHS — Dental treatments: what the NHS covers vs. cosmetic (private) work
- NHS — What is included in each NHS dental band charge?
- Oral Health Foundation (UK) — Veneers and Crowns: patient information
- General Dental Council — Check your dentist is on the GDC register
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