Maura Higgins is currently competing on Dancing with the Stars in America, and every time she flashes that smile, the internet does the same thing. Pauses the telly. Zooms in. Types "Maura Higgins teeth before and after" into Google.
Good news: nobody needs to play detective. She's already told us.
The short answer: Maura told Allure in April 2026 that she straightened her teeth with Invisalign and then had composite bonding added over them. Two treatments, in that order. One moves teeth, the other reshapes them, and the order is the clever bit. (If you're curious about the other big smile treatment, we've also rounded up what 7 celebrities have said about their veneers.)
What did Maura Higgins have done to her teeth?
In her own words, via Allure: Invisalign to straighten, then bonding on top. She said the bonding was something "which obviously is going to change my face a lot", and she's spot on. Your teeth sit right in the middle of your face. Change their shape and length, and everything around them looks a bit different too.
That's it. That's the list she's given. Anything else you've read in a comment section is somebody's guess, and I'm not in the business of diagnosing people's mouths from paparazzi shots.
What is Invisalign, and what does it actually do?
Invisalign is a brand of clear aligners: a series of thin, see-through trays, each one very slightly different from the last. You wear them most of the day and night, move on to the next set every so often, and bit by bit they nudge your teeth into a straighter line.
It's basically a very slow, very polite game of shove. No metal, no wires, and most people won't notice you're wearing them.
Two things people don't always hear up front:
- It moves teeth. It doesn't change their shape or colour. Straight teeth that are chipped, short or uneven are still chipped, short or uneven. Just tidier.
- A retainer comes afterwards. Teeth have a memory, and they'd quite like to go back where they were. The retainer is what keeps them where they've been moved to.
What is composite bonding?
Composite bonding is tooth-coloured resin added to the front and edges of the teeth, shaped by hand and polished. It can close small gaps, even out lengths, fix chips and make teeth look a bit fuller.
The big plus: it usually needs very little or no drilling of the natural tooth. It's adding, not taking away, which also means it can be repaired or adjusted later.
I'll be straight about the downsides too. Bonding isn't forever. It can pick up stains (coffee and red wine, I'm looking at you) and it can chip, so over the years it may need a polish, a repair or redoing. Look after it and it'll look after you.
Why straighten first, then bond?
This is the clever bit of Maura's plan, and it's the order a lot of dentists prefer.
Bond crooked teeth and you're using resin to disguise where they sit. That can mean adding more material than you'd like, and it can end up looking bulky. Straighten them first and the bonding only has to do the finishing touches: shape, length, a smoother edge. Less material, more natural result.
Think of it like decorating. You don't wallpaper before you've fixed the wonky wall.
One more thing worth knowing: whitening only works on natural teeth, not on bonding. So anyone who wants whiter teeth as well needs to whiten before the bonding goes on, so the resin can be matched to the new shade.
Could the same combination work for anyone?
Not automatically. Everyone's bite, gums, tooth shape and enamel are different, and what suited Maura won't be the right plan for everybody. Some people need both treatments, some need one, and some need neither.
What should happen before anyone moves or builds up teeth:
- the teeth and gums are checked and healthy first (no point decorating a house with a leaky roof)
- the bite is assessed, not just how the teeth look from the front
- the plan is the least invasive one that gets the result
And a word of warning, Londoner to everyone: be careful with mail-order aligners and bargain bonding deals. The General Dental Council, which regulates UK dentists, says there is no effective substitute for a physical, in-person examination before straightening teeth, and that patients should know the full name of the dental professional responsible for their treatment. Cosmetic treatments like these are usually private rather than NHS, so a clear written plan and price is the minimum anyone should expect.
Maura's smile didn't come from a filter or a mystery procedure. It came from two well-established treatments, done in a sensible order. Which, as makeovers go, is refreshingly boring. In the best way.
This article is general information based on what Maura Higgins has said publicly. Whether a treatment is suitable for any individual can only be decided after an examination in person.
