What smile design is
Smile design – often marketed as a "Hollywood smile" – is less a single treatment than a plan. It starts by looking at your face as a whole: the line of your lips when you smile, how much tooth shows at rest, the shape of your face, the colour of your skin and eyes, the symmetry of your gums. From there the dentist decides which combination of treatments will give you a smile that looks like it belongs to you.
The building blocks are usually:
- Porcelain veneers – thin shells bonded to the front of the teeth to change colour, shape and small misalignments;
- Zirconia crowns – caps that cover the whole tooth, used when teeth are weakened, heavily filled or need larger changes;
- Whitening – to lighten natural teeth;
- Gum contouring – to even out the gum line where it is uneven or shows too much.
As the smile design page of New City Clinic explains, the design is prepared digitally beforehand and tried in your mouth with temporary teeth; the permanent teeth are made only after your approval.
Who is it for?
Smile design suits people unhappy with the colour, shape, size or alignment of their front teeth – chipped edges, gaps, stains that do not respond to whitening, worn or uneven teeth – who have healthy gums. Gum disease or untreated decay must be dealt with first, because veneers and crowns need a healthy foundation.
It is not always the right answer. If teeth are significantly crooked, orthodontic treatment may preserve more natural tooth. If only the colour bothers you, whitening may be enough. An honest dentist will tell you when less is more. And remember that the smile is framed by the lips: if your upper lip is long and hides the teeth, a lip lift may change more than new teeth would. Many people also combine a smile makeover with aesthetic medicine or, in a separate trip, with facial surgery such as rhinoplasty.
Veneers or crowns?
| Porcelain veneers | Zirconia crowns | |
|---|---|---|
| What they cover | The front surface of the tooth | The whole tooth |
| Tooth preparation | Less – usually a thin layer of enamel | More – the tooth is shaped all round |
| Best for | Healthy teeth needing colour or shape change | Weakened, heavily filled or root-treated teeth; larger changes |
| Reversible? | No – prepared enamel does not grow back | No |
Whichever option is used, some preparation of the natural teeth is usually necessary, and it cannot be undone. The dentist explains exactly how much tooth needs to be prepared before treatment begins – this is one of the most important questions to ask any provider, in Turkey or at home.
Your smile design in Istanbul, step by step
- Free assessment. Send photos of your smile (front, close-up, relaxed and smiling) and, if available, a recent dental X-ray. A dentist reviews them and New City Clinic sends a written plan and quote, usually within 24 hours.
- Arrival. You are met at the airport and taken to your hotel.
- Examination and digital design. The dentist examines your teeth and gums, takes X-rays and scans, and prepares a digital design of your new smile.
- Preparation and temporaries. Under local anaesthesia the teeth are prepared and temporary teeth are fitted, so you can try the new shape in your mouth.
- Approval and fitting. Once you are happy, the permanent veneers or crowns are made and fitted, and the bite is checked.
- Home. Treatment is usually completed in a single visit of 5–7 days. Regular check-ups with your dentist at home keep the result healthy.
Our trip planning guide helps you organise flights and time off.
Recovery and aftercare
Smile design involves no surgery in the usual sense and no external incision. You can usually return to work the day after each session. Sensitivity to hot and cold is possible in the first days and passes quickly; the gums may feel tender where they were shaped.
- First days: soft food if the teeth feel sensitive; avoid very hot or cold drinks.
- First weeks: you get used to the new shape when speaking and biting – this adapts quickly.
- Long term: brush and floss carefully, see your dentist and hygienist regularly, avoid biting hard objects, and wear a night guard if you grind your teeth.
With good care, veneers and crowns last many years, although they may eventually need replacing.
Risks and what to be careful about
Possible issues include tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, a veneer or crown chipping or coming loose, a bite that needs adjusting, and – where much tooth was removed – the need for root canal treatment later. Results vary with the condition of your teeth and gums and cannot be guaranteed.
The biggest avoidable risk in dental tourism is over-treatment: preparing healthy teeth heavily for full crowns when veneers or whitening would do, or treating many more teeth than necessary. Ask for a written plan that lists every tooth, the material and the reason. Our guide to choosing a safe provider in Turkey covers the warning signs.
Smile design price in Turkey
Smile design is quoted individually: the cost depends on how many teeth are treated, the material (porcelain veneers or zirconia crowns) and whether whitening or gum contouring is needed. After a dentist has reviewed your photos, New City Clinic sends an itemised written quote. Flights are not included.
The package normally includes the treatment at a partner dental clinic, hotel, airport–hotel–clinic transfers, a coordinator and interpreter. In the UK and Ireland, a single porcelain veneer is commonly priced at roughly £500 to £1,000 or more, so a full smile of eight to ten upper teeth often runs into many thousands of pounds – an approximate indication only. See our prices page and the New City Clinic price list, and read how an all-inclusive package works.
Why we recommend New City Clinic as the best clinic in Turkey for smile design
If you are comparing options and wondering which is the best clinic in Istanbul for veneers and a Hollywood smile, we recommend New City Clinic, and we want to be clear about why. New City Clinic works only with licensed facilities and named specialists – for smile design, dentists at partner dental clinics –, holds the Ministry of Health health-tourism authorisation, HealthTürkiye registration and TÜRSAB licence no. 17659, and is certified to four ISO standards (9001, 27001, 10002 and 31000) – documents you can open on the New City Clinic licences page. Written transparent prices and one coordinator from your first message to your follow-up complete the picture. That combination is what we look for in the best clinic in Turkey for smile design.
New City Clinic is a health-tourism agency in Bakırköy, Istanbul, authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health (HealthTürkiye) and licensed by TÜRSAB (no. 17659). Dental treatment is carried out by dentists at partner dental clinics, while surgical treatments take place at licensed partner hospitals such as Acıbadem and Medipol with specialists including Op. Dr. Fatih Kılıç.
You receive a digital design, an itemised tooth-by-tooth plan and a coordinator who speaks your language. If you are planning more than one treatment in Istanbul, the same team can organise everything – browse all treatments, including hair transplant. The agency's documents are on our licences and certificates page.
Request your free smile design quote
Send New City Clinic photos of your smile – front, close-up, relaxed and smiling – and a recent dental X-ray if you have one. Tell us what you would like to change: colour, shape, gaps or chipped teeth. A dentist reviews them free of charge and you usually receive a written plan and quote within 24 hours via the form or WhatsApp.
Choosing the best dentist in Istanbul and the best clinic in Turkey is a personal decision – take your time, ask questions and compare written plans. When you are ready, the Smile design page of New City Clinic and the New City Clinic team on WhatsApp are one message away.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Hollywood smile and smile design?
"Hollywood smile" is a popular name for a complete smile makeover, usually with veneers or crowns. Smile design is the planning approach behind it: the colour, shape and alignment of the teeth are designed to suit your face, lips and gums.
How long do I need to stay in Istanbul for veneers?
Treatment is usually completed in a single visit of 5 to 7 days, including the examination, digital design, preparation with temporaries and fitting of the final restorations.
Will my teeth be filed down?
Usually some preparation is needed. The amount depends on the plan – veneers generally need less than crowns – and the dentist explains it before treatment, since it cannot be undone.
How long do veneers last?
With good care, many years. They may eventually need replacing, and regular dental check-ups help them last.
Can I see my new smile before it is made?
Yes. The design is prepared digitally and tried in your mouth with temporary teeth; the permanent teeth are made only after your approval.
Does smile design hurt?
Treatment is done under local anaesthesia. Some sensitivity to hot and cold is possible in the first days and usually passes quickly.
How much does smile design cost in Turkey?
It is quoted individually, because the price depends on the number of teeth, the material and any additional treatments. New City Clinic sends an itemised written quote after a free assessment; flights are not included.
Who performs smile design?
Dentists at partner dental clinics in Istanbul. New City Clinic coordinates the plan, transfers, hotel and interpreter.
