Cosmetic Dentistry in Turkey: Smile Makeover, Hollywood Smile, Whitening

Cosmetic dentistry is the part of dentistry that changes how your teeth and gums look: their colour, shape, length and spacing, and the line the gums make around them. It covers a range of treatments, from teeth whitening, which only lightens the natural colour of your teeth, to veneers and crowns, which cover the teeth with new ceramic surfaces. Most of these treatments are not a medical necessity. They are a choice you make because something about your smile bothers you, and a good plan starts from what you would like to change rather than from a fixed package.

Many clinics describe this work as smile design. The term simply means planning several changes together, so that the colour, shape and proportions of the teeth suit your face and the gum line, instead of treating each tooth in isolation. When the plan combines several treatments, it is often called a smile makeover. When most of the visible upper and lower teeth are covered with veneers or crowns in one uniform, bright shade, the result is usually called a Hollywood smile.

You may also have read about “Turkey teeth”, a phrase used in the UK press for full sets of crowns or thick veneers placed on healthy teeth, sometimes with painful consequences. We think those stories deserve a straight answer. Cosmetic dentistry does not have to mean reshaping every tooth, and for many people it should not. This guide explains what cosmetic treatment can and cannot change, how our dentists in Istanbul plan it starting with the least invasive option, who is suitable, what each treatment involves, what it costs and what the risks are, so that you can decide with full information.

Real patients

Before and After at Er Dental Clinic

Photos of Er Dental Clinic patients. Every case is different — ask us to see cases similar to yours.

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Every cosmetic plan at our clinic is built on one principle: use the least invasive treatment that achieves what you want. The reason is simple. Enamel, the hard outer layer of the tooth, does not grow back. Whitening leaves the tooth structure in place. Composite bonding adds material to the tooth with little or no removal of enamel. A veneer usually needs a thin layer removed from the front surface. A crown needs the tooth to be reshaped on all sides. Each step along that line changes more of the natural tooth, and the further along you go, the more the tooth will depend on dental work in the future.

The illustration below shows the difference between a natural tooth, a veneer and a crown. A veneer covers only the front of the tooth and is mainly used to change colour and shape on a tooth that is otherwise healthy. A crown encloses the whole tooth and is mainly used when a tooth is also broken, heavily filled or weakened. If your teeth are healthy and only the colour bothers you, whitening may be all you need. If the edges are chipped or there are small gaps, bonding or a small number of veneers may be enough. Veneers or crowns on many teeth are considered only when the simpler options cannot meet your goal, and your dentist explains why before anything is prepared.

Most people come to us with one or two things they would like to change rather than a treatment name in mind. The most common are:

• Stained or yellow teeth. Tea, coffee, red wine, smoking and ageing gradually darken natural teeth. Many surface and age-related stains respond to professional whitening; deeper or internal discolouration may need veneers. Our page on stained or discoloured teeth explains the different causes.
• Chipped or uneven edges. Small chips and uneven biting edges can often be repaired with bonding; larger changes in shape may need veneers.
• Small gaps between teeth. Minor gaps can be closed with bonding or veneers. Larger gaps or crooked teeth may need orthodontic treatment first, which we will discuss with you honestly.
• Old, discoloured fillings or crowns. Front fillings and older crowns can darken or show a grey line at the gum. Whitening does not change their colour, so they may be replaced to match your natural teeth.
• A gummy smile. When a lot of gum shows as you smile, or the teeth look short, reshaping the gum line may help. The cause decides the treatment.
• Worn or short teeth. Grinding and acid erosion can shorten teeth. If the wear is significant, the cause is addressed first and the teeth may be rebuilt with bonding, veneers or crowns.

Some of these concerns have a health side as well as a cosmetic one. Worn teeth may point to grinding, bleeding gums to gum disease, and a single dark tooth to a problem with the nerve. Your dentist checks for these first, because a cosmetic result will not last on unhealthy teeth or gums.

Patient stories

Hear From Our International Patients

Patients from the UK, Romania, France, Ukraine and Russia talk about their treatment at Er Dental Clinic. Each video shows the treatment the patient had.

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Two concerns bring many patients to cosmetic treatment, and each has its own page that explains the causes and options in more depth: a gummy smile, where more gum shows than you would like, and stained or discoloured teeth.

Most adults with healthy teeth and gums can be considered for cosmetic treatment. What matters is not the country or the package, but whether your mouth is ready for the change you want and whether the change is realistic. Your dentist looks at a few things before recommending anything:

• Healthy gums and teeth first. Active gum disease or untreated decay should be treated before any cosmetic work. Veneers and crowns sit at the gum line, and inflamed gums lead to poor results and further problems.
• Grinding and clenching. Heavy grinding puts ceramic under strain and can chip or loosen veneers and crowns. It affects the choice of material and usually means a night guard is recommended.
• The amount of healthy tooth. Healthy, straight teeth that only need a colour change are usually better suited to whitening than to veneers. Teeth with large fillings or cracks may be better suited to crowns.
• Realistic expectations. Cosmetic treatment can make a real difference, but a natural-looking result depends on your face, lips, gum line and bite. A shade that is too white or teeth that are too long can look unnatural.
• Smoking and staining habits. Smoking and frequent tea, coffee or red wine make whitening fade faster and can stain the edges of restorations. Smoking also affects gum health.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Whitening is usually postponed during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and other elective cosmetic work may be timed around them. Whitening is not carried out on children.

If you are not sure whether you are suitable, send us photos of your smile. Our dentists will tell you honestly if a simpler option is enough, or if a health problem needs treating first.

The right treatment depends on what bothers you, the health of your teeth and how much of the natural tooth you are willing to change. The guide below is a starting point; your dentist confirms the plan after examining your teeth.

The cost of cosmetic dentistry depends on which treatments your plan includes and how many teeth are treated. Our published prices are clinic-direct rates. Your plan and final price are confirmed after our dentists review your photos and X-rays, and any change is explained and agreed in writing before treatment begins.

• Gingivectomy / gum contouring: from £50 / €60 / $70 per tooth.
• Internal tooth whitening (bleaching): £90 / €100 / $120.
• Zirconia dental crown: £215 / €250 / $290 per unit.
• External teeth whitening (bleaching): £260 / €300 / $350.
• E-max ceramic veneer: £300 / €350 / $400 per unit.
• E-max ceramic dental crown: £300 / €350 / $400 per unit.

For a full smile, three smile rehabilitation packages of 20 units (10 upper / 10 lower) are available:

• 20 Zirconia Crowns — Smile Rehabilitation Package: from £4,300 / €5,000 / $5,800.
• 20 Laminate Veneers — Smile Rehabilitation Package: £6,020 / €7,000 / $8,120.
• 20 E-max Ceramic Crowns — Smile Rehabilitation Package: £6,020 / €7,000 / $8,120.

The packages include digital smile design, a clinical examination and X-rays, tooth preparation (minimal preparation for the laminate veneer package), temporary veneers or crowns during your stay, all laboratory work, bonding or fitting, and polishing and final adjustments. The E-max package uses Ivoclar E-max ceramic. Composite bonding is quoted individually. Not everyone needs twenty units: many plans involve whitening, gum contouring or a smaller number of veneers, and your written plan only includes what your teeth need. The price page lists every treatment and what each package includes.

Three comparisons come up in most cosmetic consultations. The first is smile makeover vs Hollywood smile. A smile makeover is a plan built from whatever treatments your smile needs, which may be as simple as whitening and a few bonded edges. A Hollywood smile is one specific result, usually veneers or crowns on most visible teeth, so it involves more tooth preparation and more long-term maintenance. The second is whitening vs veneers. Whitening lightens natural teeth without removing enamel, but it fades over time and does not change shape; veneers change colour and shape together and keep their colour, but they need enamel to be removed and will need replacing one day. The third is gum contouring vs botulinum toxin for a gummy smile. Gum contouring reshapes the gum itself, while botulinum toxin relaxes the upper lip muscle and wears off after a few months; which one makes sense depends on the cause, and whether a lip-muscle treatment is suitable is discussed at your consultation.

A cosmetic plan is only as good as the assessment behind it. Before anything is changed, your dentist looks at the health of your mouth and at how your smile works as a whole.

Cosmetic treatment is planned around what you would like to change and what your teeth can safely support. If whitening and a few bonded edges achieve your goal, we will suggest that rather than a full set of veneers, and we explain the alternatives before any healthy tooth is reshaped.

The clinic holds an International Health Tourism Authorization Certificate issued by the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health (certificate no. ST-6264, dated 27 August 2025), which carries the HealthTürkiye logo. You can check it yourself on the e-Devlet document verification service at turkiye.gov.tr/saglik-bakanligi-ebys with the code 3D0867DC-7D38-4EBF-B6D7-7B8F049AC725.

Every cosmetic plan follows the same sequence:

1. 1Listen first. We start from what bothers you about your smile and what you would like to change.
2. 2Health before appearance. Gums, decay, old restorations and your bite are checked and treated before cosmetic work begins.
3. 3Least invasive first. Whitening, gum contouring or bonding are considered before veneers or crowns.
4. 4Preview the result. When several visible teeth are changed, the proposed shape and shade are shown to you before preparation.
5. 5Treat and check. Treatment follows the agreed plan, and the result is checked for fit, bite and colour before you leave.
6. 6Written warranty and follow-up. Crowns, bridges and veneers are covered by a 5-year warranty, provided you keep to the recommended hygiene and check-up schedule.

The order and length of your treatment depend on your plan. Whitening and gum contouring are usually shorter than veneers or crowns, which need time for the laboratory to make them. The number of appointments and days is written into your plan before you book.

1. 1Online consultation. You send photos of your smile and any X-rays, and receive a written plan and quote.
2. 2Examination and X-rays. At the clinic, your dentist checks your teeth, gums and bite and confirms the plan with you.
3. 3Smile design and shade. The proposed shape and colour are agreed, with a digital preview when several teeth are involved.
4. 4Preparatory steps. Cleaning, whitening or gum contouring are carried out first, if they are part of the plan.
5. 5Veneers or crowns. If planned, the teeth are prepared under local anaesthesia and temporaries are fitted while the laboratory works.
6. 6Final check and aftercare. The result is checked for fit, bite and colour, and you receive written aftercare instructions.

How you look after your teeth decides how long a cosmetic result lasts. The details depend on your treatment, and you receive written instructions before you leave Istanbul.

• After whitening. For the first few days, avoid strongly coloured food and drink such as coffee, tea, red wine, curry and berries, and avoid smoking. Sensitivity is common and usually settles; a toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help.
• After gum contouring. The gums may be tender and slightly swollen at first. Brush gently around the treated area and follow your dentist's advice on rinsing and eating.
• After veneers or crowns. Brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and clean between your teeth every day, paying attention to the edges at the gum line. Avoid biting very hard objects such as ice, pen lids or hard sweets.
• If you grind your teeth. A night guard is usually recommended to protect veneers and crowns from chipping.
• Regular check-ups. Keep regular check-ups and professional cleanings, either with us or with your dentist at home. Staining around the edges of restorations and early gum problems are easier to deal with when they are found early.

After you return home, we stay in touch for remote follow-up, and you receive your treatment documents so that you can share the details with your own dentist.

Cosmetic treatments are elective, so it is especially important to understand their drawbacks before you decide. The risks depend on the treatment:

Your dentist explains which of these apply to you, based on your examination, before you give your consent.

Send us photos of your smile for a free online consultation. Our dentists review them and reply with a written plan that starts with the least invasive options, explains what each treatment involves and gives you a clear quote, so you can compare your options before you decide to travel.