Cosmetic Dentistry
Smile Design
Smile design is a personalised approach that plans tooth colour, shape and alignment together with the gum line and facial proportions, using digital design and a trial smile.
- Method Digital planning + veneers, crowns, whitening
- Anaesthesia Local
- Appointments Usually 3–5
- Stay in Istanbul Usually 5–8 days
- Lifespan Usually 10–15 years with good care
The method
What Is Smile Design?
Smile design is a personalised treatment approach in which the colour, shape, length and alignment of the teeth are planned together with the gum line, the lip line and the proportions of the face, so that the smile is treated as a whole. It is not a single procedure but several procedures chosen to fit your needs and brought together under one plan.
The plan starts with digital smile design: your new smile is modelled on a computer from photos of your face and teeth and an intra-oral scan, and the new length, width and curves of the teeth are set against the midline of the face, the line of the pupils and the lip line. The design is then applied to your teeth as a temporary trial smile (mock-up) so you can see it in your own mouth; no permanent work starts until you approve it.
The procedures used most often are porcelain veneers (thin ceramic shells covering the front surface), E-Max or zirconia crowns, teeth whitening, gum contouring (levelling the gum line with a laser) and composite bonding for minor corrections. Where crowding is marked, clear-aligner orthodontics may come first; missing teeth are completed with implants.
For patients from abroad the process is usually completed in a single trip of 5–8 days, depending on the procedures involved: design and trial smile, preparation and temporaries, a ceramic try-in while the laboratory works, and final bonding. If implants or orthodontics are needed, the process is spread over two trips.
Treatment is carried out at licensed partner dental clinics in Istanbul by a dentist and, where needed, the relevant specialists. JSH does not perform treatment; it coordinates the journey planned by the dentist. Suitability and method are the dentist’s decisions.
Design
Planned to the Proportions of Your Face
In a natural smile the edges of the front teeth follow the curve of the lower lip, the midline of the teeth matches the midline of the face, and the teeth become smaller in a set proportion from the centre outwards. Digital design applies these rules to your face; the aim is not the whitest, straightest teeth but a smile that looks like it belongs to you.
The gum line is part of the design too: gum that shows too much when you smile, or an uneven gum line, can be reshaped with a laser before the restorations. The shade is chosen from the guide to suit your skin tone and the whites of your eyes; overly white shades look artificial.
At the trial stage the design is applied to your teeth in temporary material; you see how it looks when you talk, smile and have photos taken. Length, curve and shade can all be changed at this stage.
No permanent work is done until the trial smile is approved; preparation of the teeth begins only after that approval.
Comparison
Veneer, Crown or Bonding?
Different teeth within the same smile can receive different treatments; the choice depends on the condition of each tooth and on your expectations.
Porcelain Veneers and E-Max
- Colour, shape and gap corrections on sound front teeth
- Very little reduction; thin, translucent ceramic
- Stain-resistant; usually 10–15 years with good care
- A night guard is needed if you clench or grind
Zirconia Crowns and Composite Bonding
- Zirconia: protection and strength for weakened, heavily filled or back teeth
- Bonding: same-day, no-reduction repair of small chips, gaps and colour issues
- Bonding is quicker and more economical but can stain over time and is usually renewed after 5–7 years
- Zirconia is also used for bridges and crowns on implants
A Smile Is Designed, Not Just Teeth
Midline, lip curve and gum level are planned together. Nothing permanent is done until the trial smile has been seen in your own mouth and approved.
Suitability
Who Is It for?
Smile design is considered for adults who are unhappy with the colour, shape, length or alignment of their teeth, who dislike showing too much gum when they smile, who have broken or worn teeth, or who want to replace old restorations.
Suitability is decided solely by the dentist. Active gum disease and decay are treated first; marked crowding may need orthodontic alignment first, and missing teeth may need implants. Where healthy, well-aligned teeth simply need to be lighter, less invasive options such as whitening are recommended.
Planning
How Is the Trip Planned and How Long Is the Stay?
At the assessment, photos of your face smiling and with the teeth together, intra-oral photos and, if available, your panoramic X-ray are sent to the dentist. Which procedure each tooth needs, whether gum reshaping or whitening is required, and the total time are decided from them; the plan is sent to you in writing.
A typical single-trip schedule is 5–8 days: day one, examination, photos, scan and digital design; day two, trial smile and approval, plus gum reshaping and whitening if needed; then preparation under local anaesthesia, impressions and temporaries; a ceramic try-in while the laboratory works (usually 3–4 days); and on the last day, final bonding and a bite check.
If orthodontic alignment or implants are needed, the process is spread over two trips: preparation and temporaries on the first, final restorations on the second. The lifespan of the result depends on the material and on care: ceramic veneers and crowns usually last 10–15 years, composite bonding 5–7 years.
The process
How Does the Treatment Work?
From your first message to your follow-up, the journey runs through a single coordinator. Treatment has five stages.
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01
Analysis and Digital Design
Facial and intra-oral photos, a scan and X-ray are used to assess the current situation; the new smile is modelled on a computer to your facial proportions.
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02
Trial Smile and Approval
The design is applied to your teeth in temporary material and checked while talking and smiling; it is adjusted to your wishes and approved.
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03
Preparation and Temporaries
Gum reshaping and whitening are done if needed; the teeth are prepared under local anaesthesia, impressions taken and temporary restorations fitted.
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04
Ceramic Try-in
The veneers and crowns from the laboratory are tried in the mouth for shade, shape and bite, and any adjustments are made.
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05
Final Bonding and Check
The restorations are fixed with a special adhesive technique and the bite is balanced; aftercare instructions are given in writing. Follow-up continues remotely.
Where it takes place
At Partner Dental Clinics, Planned by Your Dentist
Treatment is carried out at licensed partner dental clinics in Istanbul by a dentist and, where needed, the relevant specialists (prosthodontics, periodontics, oral surgery). Suitability, choice of material and the treatment itself are the dentist’s decisions; JSH does not influence them, it organises everything around them.
Our job is the rest of the journey: choosing the clinic and dentist that fit your needs, sending your intra-oral photos and any X-rays to the dentist, fitting the appointments into your length of stay, transfers and accommodation, and remote check-ups after you return home.
We communicate in English, Turkish and Polish. Every step (appointment days, laboratory times, aftercare instructions) is sent to you in writing, and you stay in touch with the same coordinator after you are back home.
Preparation and aftercare
What to Do Before and After Treatment
This list is for guidance only; the written instructions your doctor gives you at the clinic take precedence. Your coordinator is available for any question.
Before the Procedure
- Gum inflammation, decay or a needed root canal are treated first; crowns and veneers are placed on healthy teeth and gums.
- If you take blood thinners and gum reshaping is planned, tell your dentist in advance.
- Send your panoramic X-ray and intra-oral photos with your assessment; the length of stay is planned from them.
- If you are considering whitening, have it done before the crowns; the shade is matched to the whitened teeth.
- Tell us if you clench or grind your teeth; the choice of material and a night guard are planned accordingly.
- Send photos of your face smiling and with your teeth together with your assessment; the design starts from them.
After the Procedure
- While temporaries are in place, avoid sticky and very hard food; if a temporary comes off, message your coordinator straight away.
- For the first 24 hours after final bonding, avoid hard, sticky and very hot or cold food.
- Brush twice a day and use floss or interdental brushes; keeping the gum edge around the restoration clean is what determines its lifespan.
- If whitening was done, avoid staining drinks for the first 48 hours.
- Do not bite hard objects with your front teeth and do not bite your nails; this matters especially with veneers.
- If you clench or grind, wear the night guard your dentist makes for you.
- Have a check-up and professional cleaning every six months; limit smoking and staining drinks.
Recovery
After the Treatment
Timings are given for guidance only; recovery varies from person to person and is followed up by your doctor.
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First 24 Hours
Hard and sticky food is avoided while the bonding cement sets; mild tenderness may follow gum reshaping.
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Week 1
You get used to speaking and biting with the new teeth; sensitivity to hot and cold fades and the gums heal.
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2–4 Weeks
Sensitivity usually disappears completely and the gums adapt to the restoration edges. If your bite feels uneven, tell the dentist.
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3 Months
First check-up photos are taken; gum health and cleaning habits are reviewed.
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6 Months
Check-up and professional cleaning; check-ups then continue every six months.
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Years
Ceramic restorations usually last 10–15 years with good care, composite bonding 5–7 years. Lifespan depends on hygiene and keeping grinding under control.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Smile Design
No; it is an approach that plans colour, shape, gum line and alignment together. Veneers, crowns, whitening, gum contouring, bonding, implants or orthodontics are combined under one plan as needed.
Yes. The digital design is modelled on a computer and applied to your teeth in temporary material (the trial smile) so you can see it in your own mouth. No permanent work starts until you approve.
Very little, sometimes none, for veneers; usually 1–1.5 mm for full crowns. Which treatment each tooth needs and how much reduction is involved is explained to you in advance.
"Hollywood smile" is a popular name for a bright, even smile usually achieved with veneers or crowns on all the front teeth. Smile design is a broader concept: the aim is a naturally proportioned smile that looks like yours, and no tooth is treated unnecessarily.
Tooth preparation and gum reshaping are done under local anaesthesia, so no pain is felt. Some sensitivity for a few days afterwards is normal and settles by itself.
Plans limited to veneers and crowns are usually completed in a single trip of 5–8 days. If implants or orthodontics are needed, the process is spread over two trips; the plan is sent to you in advance.
The design follows the midline of the face, the curve of the lip and the gum level, and the shade is chosen to suit your skin tone. Overly white, flat teeth look artificial and the dentist will not recommend them.
Ceramic veneers and crowns usually last 10–15 years with good care, composite bonding 5–7 years. Lifespan depends on hygiene, gum health and keeping grinding under control.
Gum that shows too much or unevenly can be reshaped with a laser before the restorations; this is a standard part of the design and is done during the same trip.
Usually 5–8 days: design and trial smile, preparation and temporaries, a ceramic try-in during the laboratory time, and final bonding on the last day. The schedule is built around your flights.
Let’s Assess Your Suitability Together
Share your questions and, if you have them, your photos. Our team will complete a preliminary assessment with the partner clinic’s doctor and get back to you.