‘Smile makeover’ is one of the most searched cosmetic dentistry terms in the UK, and also one of the most misunderstood. There’s no single treatment, no fixed package and no one-size-fits-all price. What a smile makeover actually involves depends entirely on what you want to change – and that looks different for every patient.
This guide breaks it all down: what a smile makeover really means, how the process works at Smile9, what individual treatments cost and what a realistic total investment might look like depending on where you’re starting from.
If you’re still at the research stage, it’s also worth reading our guides on composite bonding vs veneers and how long veneers last before you go any further – they’ll give you a clearer picture of the options before your consultation.
What is a smile makeover? It’s not just one thing
The term ‘smile makeover’ gets used to describe everything from a single whitening course to a full combination of Invisalign, whitening and a complete set of veneers. At Smile9, a smile makeover is simply whatever combination of treatments gets you to the result you want – nothing more, nothing less.
For some patients, that’s as straightforward as professional whitening and they’re happy. For others, it’s straightening teeth with Invisalign and adding whitening at the end. For others still, it’s the full works: straightening, whitening and veneers to change the shape and size of the teeth as well as the colour.
It can also include treatments that patients don’t always associate with cosmetic dentistry. Gum grafts, for example, can be part of a smile makeover for patients who have noticeable recession affecting their smile line – where one or two teeth look longer than the others because the gum has pulled back from the root. A smile makeover addresses whatever is making a patient self-conscious
and that isn’t always just about the teeth themselves.
The point is that there’s no standard package and no fixed price. The only way to get an accurate picture of what your makeover would involve – and what it would cost – is a consultation.
How the consultation works at Smile9
The consultation at Smile9 starts with a ‘simple’ question: what specifically don’t you like about YOUR smile?
It sounds obvious but it’s important in helping us (and you) understand what comes next. The goal isn’t to sell a treatment – it’s to understand exactly what the patient is unhappy with and then work backwards from there to build a plan that addresses it. We’ll
never propose treatment you didn’t ask for nor plan around assumptions about what you want.
During the consultation, a scan of your teeth is taken and displayed on a large screen so you can point to exactly what you want to change. If you’ve got reference photos of smiles or tooth shapes you like, please bring them with you – these are used directly in the planning process, not just noted and filed away. The more clearly you can describe what you’re looking for, the more productive the appointment will be.
If Invisalign is part of the plan, the iTero scanner software can show a simulation of tooth movement before treatment begins. And
for patients considering veneers, there’s another step that’s worth knowing about.
The trial smile: seeing your results before you commit
One of the most reassuring parts of Smile9’s process is the trial smile design and it’s not something every practice offers.
Before any irreversible treatment takes place, a temporary mock-up of the proposed veneers or restorations is applied directly to the teeth using composite material. No drilling, no removal of tooth structure – just a preview of the proposed shape, size and proportion that you can see in the mirror and give feedback on. If something isn’t quite right, it’s adjusted before anything is made permanent.
For patients who are nervous about committing to a significant cosmetic investment, this step changes everything. You approve the design before it becomes final. There are no surprises.
What does each treatment cost?
We’re very open about treatment costs at Smile9, you need to be fully informed before you make your decision:
Teeth whitening: from £295. Professional whitening is often the starting point for a smile makeover — and for some patients, it’s all they need. You can read more about how whitening works and how long results last here.
Composite veneers: from £300 per tooth, up to £795 per tooth. We recommend a minimum of six to eight teeth for a natural, balanced result – so a six-tooth composite veneer treatment starts from approximately £1,800. Composite veneers last around five years and can be repaired if chipped.
Invisalign: from £2,195 for a single arch, and from £3,495 to £3,595 for both arches, depending on case complexity. Invisalign is often combined with whitening at the end of treatment for a complete result. More detail on the Invisalign process at Smile9 is available on the treatment page.
Dental implants: from £2,500 for a single implant including the crown. For patients restoring a full arch, costs can reach up to £14,000 – which includes all implants, extractions, any bone grafting required, and the final bridge. Implants are more commonly associated with tooth loss than cosmetic work, but for a patient who has lost a front tooth and wants a permanent, natural-looking replacement, they can very much be part of a smile makeover.
Dentures: from approximately £995. For patients who need a full smile restoration but aren’t suitable for implants, or who prefer a more accessible option, a well-made denture can make a significant difference – particularly if an existing one is old, worn, or discoloured.
What could a full smile makeover cost in total?
To give a realistic sense of the range, here are three examples based on our current pricing. These are starting points to give you an idea rather than fixed quotes – every case is different and a full treatment plan with itemised costs is always provided at consultation.
An entry-level makeover: professional whitening plus single-arch Invisalign. From approximately £2,490 to £2,990.
A mid-range makeover: Invisalign for both arches, whitening, and six composite veneers. From approximately £5,585, rising depending on the veneer tier selected.
A more comprehensive makeover: Invisalign, whitening, and ceramic veneers across six to eight teeth. Ceramic veneers last ten to twelve years or more and represent the premium option for patients who want the best long-term aesthetic result. We can only give you a cost for this combo when we’ve seen you and worked out your full treatment plan.
Is a smile makeover worth it?
That depends on how you feel about your smile which is of course a question only you can answer. What we can say is that the patients who tend to get the most from cosmetic treatment are the ones who’ve thought clearly about what they want to change, taken the time to understand their options and worked with a team they trust to build a plan that makes sense for them.
A smile makeover doesn’t have to mean doing everything at once. A phased approach – whitening first, then Invisalign, then veneers over the course of a year or two – can spread both the treatment and the cost in a way that feels manageable. Finance options are also available at Smile9 for patients who’d prefer to spread the investment across monthly payments.
The consultation is always the right starting point. It’s where a realistic picture of what’s possible, what it would cost, and what order to do things in gets built together – around what you actually want, not a predetermined package.
Book a consultation online or call the practice on 0114 272 4409. We’d love to help you figure out where to start.