Smile design, the questions that matter.
A careful clinic answers every question below in writing without flinching. Here are the six that separate thoughtful planning from a risky deal, and the red flags that should stop you. We never name a clinic.
answered in writing
ask what follows
mock up or trial
What should I ask a clinic?
Ask what smile design includes, whether the price is for the plan only or the treatment too, and whether you will see a preview, such as a digital mock up or a trial smile, before anything irreversible is done. Then ask which treatments the plan involves and which of them cannot be undone, who designs and carries out the work, what is and is not in the price, and how follow up would work near home.
A clinic that answers these plainly and in writing is the one to trust. Pressure to file teeth for veneers with no preview and no discussion of gentler options is a warning sign. This is general information, not medical advice.
Six questions before you pay.
A safe clinic answers all six without flinching and puts the answers in writing. Use them to judge any clinic you are sent, wherever it is. We never name clinics.
The red flags that should stop you.
If a clinic wants to file teeth for veneers with no mock up or trial smile first, you are committing blind to a permanent change. Insist on seeing the plan.
A single very white, very uniform result pushed on every patient is a sales template, not a design. A real plan suits your face, your bite, and your wishes.
If whitening or aligners could achieve much of what you want but are never raised, the plan may be steering you to the most expensive and most permanent route.
Ask the right questions, of vetted clinics.
Send one brief and we route it to vetted clinics that show you a preview, explain what is reversible, and quote the full plan honestly. You choose, with no pressure.
Free and no obligation. Accredited clinics only. We never sell your details.
How we make money: the guides are free and no clinic can pay to be named, ranked or recommended. We never name clinics. Get Matched is an optional service that helps keep the guides free and independent of any one clinic; using it is always your choice and you are never charged. How this works.
The things everyone asks.
Is smile design a treatment?
No. It is the planning step that maps out your new smile before any work begins. Ask whether the quote covers only the design or the full course of treatment that follows.
Will I see what it looks like first?
A careful clinic shows a digital mock up or a trial smile you can try in your mouth, so you agree the shape and shade before anything permanent. Ask to see a preview before you commit.
Does it always mean veneers?
No. A plan can use gentler options like whitening or aligners, or veneers and crowns that mean filing teeth. Ask which your plan involves and which steps cannot be undone.
How much should it cost?
It depends entirely on which treatments the plan leads to, so there is no single figure. Ask for an itemised quote covering the design and each treatment rather than a single headline price.
What about follow up if I go abroad?
Ask whether the plan can be finished in one trip or needs a return, and how an adjustment or repair would be handled near home. Keep your records and design details to share with a local dentist.
Where to go next.
Smile design guide
Guide liveWhat smile design is, who it suits, the honest costs, the risks, and how to choose safely.
What it costs
Guide liveIndicative prices across regions, and what the headline figure leaves out.
Compare clinics safely
On this pageSend one brief and receive tailored plans from vetted clinics, with no pressure.
More smile design guides are in production. In the meantime you can Get Matched or browse all procedures.
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