The Truth About ‘Turkey Teeth’
In the U.K., an estimated 63 per cent of people aged between 18-34 are considering undergoing cosmetic dental treatment abroad. A large proportion of these individuals are travelling to countries such as Turkey to get what they believe to be a more cost-effective option (Manchester News, 2022). However, dental experts are now warning that these treatments may cause “irreversible damage” that ends up being far more costly if not carried out by an experienced dental surgeon.
Turkey teeth refers to extremely white square shaped crowns. It has recently become more popular after a wave of celebrities decided to undergo the procedure.
It has been revealed that many who opt for ‘turkey teeth’ are unsure of what work they have had done. Patients assume they are receiving veneers but end up leaving with more invasive treatments such as crowns – where the natural tooth is aggressively filed down by up to 70% and then replaced with a cap. A survey completed by BBC News interviewed over 1,000 U.K. dentists about this treatment, of which 597 said that they had treated patients who had experienced complications such as pain or gum disease after visiting Turkey for dental work. In addition to these complications, veneers or crowns have a certain lifespan and need to be replaced every 5-15 years, which many people are not aware of and this can prove to be very costly.
Common issues with ‘Turkey Teeth’ include, but are not limited to:
The NHS advise people to “think carefully” before booking any treatment abroad and be made aware of the potential long term risks of the treatment. It is also strongly recommended that people obtain advice by their dentist on what treatments may be available for them within the practice where they are registered.
Cosmetic dentistry that is safe and avoids any unnecessary disruption to your teeth is available across the U.K. in many dental practises, some of which are able to provide payment plans to their patients.
It is crucial that if you are going to have such treatments abroad, that you research thoroughly the credibility of the clinic and clinicians at the practice but also take onboard the possible complications that may arise from such procedures. You must ensure that the clinic will be willing to take responsibility for any post operative complications and be prepared to travel back to the clinic should such complications arise. If you decide not to travel back should any complications arise, you are likely to require a specialist referral due to the complexity of the corrective work often required. This is normally on private basis and tends to be more costly than the initial treatment due to complexity of the work.
At The Link Dental Surgery, we provide caring, honest, and trustworthy dentistry carried out by experienced dentists. We also provide flexible payment plans for many of our treatments, including Invisalign. We are also happy to refer you to experienced Restorative specialists if you are suffering from complications from dental treatment abroad.
For more information on our smile makeovers please get in touch.
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