Kylian Mbappé's Smile: What Might Explain the Change Since His Monaco Years

A 2018 photo from Mbappé's award-ceremony appearances, taken as he moved from Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain, shows a slight smile with a visible gap between the front teeth and some lower-arch crowding. His 2026 World Cup photo, taken during France's group-stage match against Senegal, shows a close-up, fully in-focus face — but a serious, non-smiling expression, so it isn't a direct smile comparison.

Based on other public appearances during the same period, commentators describe the gap as noticeably less visible than in the 2018 photo.

Clinic-run comparison blogs such as Karat Dent and Marina Clinic have speculated that Mbappé's closed gap and straighter lower arch could reflect thin E-max veneers, orthodontic treatment, composite bonding, or some combination — but none of these sources are the treating dentist, and no official statement exists from Mbappé, Real Madrid, or the French football federation.

Separately, a fan account on Instagram reported in 2026 that Mbappé chipped a tooth during a match; this has not been confirmed by any official source and is unrelated to the longer-term smile change discussed here — it's mentioned only because it circulated alongside the smile speculation, not as evidence of any procedure.

With no confirmed procedure, there's no Mbappé-specific figure to cite. For reference, much like the Messi comparison elsewhere in this series, a full porcelain veneer set (10 units) typically runs $1,900–$3,600 with experienced Istanbul clinics, versus $7,600–$18,000 in the UK.

Where the goal is purely closing a gap through tooth movement, orthodontic treatment is priced by case complexity rather than a fixed veneer figure. For more extensive rebuilding, full-mouth dental implants in Turkey run roughly $8,250–$19,050 versus $25,400–$55,900 in the UK and $24,000–$56,000 in the US.

A free quote after a digital scan is the only way to get a number specific to your own case.

Unlike the NFL and NBA athletes in this series, Mbappé is an actual World Cup 2026 player, leading France's attack in the tournament hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico. As one of the most-photographed faces of the tournament, any visible change in his smile draws outsized attention, and searches for 'Mbappe teeth' spike alongside broader athlete-grooming curiosity in the tournament's American host cities.

The result of any of these treatments depends far more on the clinic and clinician than on the destination. NexWell vets and matches partner clinics so you don't gamble on a name found online — see our verified partner clinics and named specialists in Istanbul and Antalya, or get a free, no-obligation assessment.