The ‘Turkey Teeth’ trend has been on the rise for several years now, with many celebrities and influencers taking to social media to share their experience of having budget dental treatment abroad.

 

Whilst there are success stories, there have also been reports of patients who have had negative experiences after having dental treatment such as veneers and dental implants performed abroad.

 

Whilst there might be the benefit of saving money and fitting in a holiday around your treatment, travelling to Turkey for dental treatment does carry certain dangers.

 

We wanted to shed some light on the possible risks involved in having treatment performed in Turkey and why it’s important to explore all of your options beforehand.

Treatment could be rushed

 

Treatment like dental implants require a dental surgeon to place the implant under local anaesthetic. A period of healing is then needed for the implants to fuse with your jawbone. However, if this is cut short, it could mean the implant fails, meaning you might need treatment at home.

 

As dentists in the U.K are subject to the laws set by the General Dental Council (GDC), dentists cannot rush any treatments, including dental implants.

 

If you have dental phobia, this could get worse post-treatment

 

If you suffer from dental phobia, this could become more intense after a bad experience of dental treatment abroad. Some patients who have travelled to Turkey for dental treatments have reported that they came back feeling twice as anxious about visiting the dentist, due to the rushed experience they had and the lack of knowledge they had about the procedure they were about to undergo.

 

It has also been reported that clinicians in Turkey sometimes using invasive techniques, including drilling teeth that do not require it. Not only can this damage the health of your teeth, the emotional repercussions can be severe.

 

Looking after patients with dental phobia is something we do best. Read more about our sedation services and how they can benefit patients with dental phobia here.

 

Your restoration may not endure for long

 

It’s true that getting treatment such as veneers, dental implants and crowns in Turkey is cheaper than in the U.K. However, the restoration you have placed may not stand the test of time, as the materials and techniques used are inferior to those used in dental practices across the U.K.

 

A veneer or crown placed overseas in countries such as Turkey where cheaper materials are used may only be functional for a small number of years. Cheaper materials can also give way to tooth sensitivity, chronic gum irritation and pain, particularly if he nerves of a tooth are exposed due to the restoration being ill-placed, because of poor planning and execution.

 

There’s also a risk that your restoration may not be the correct shape and size for your tooth, which could lead to persistent bleeding. Unfortunately, the only way to resolve this is to have the restoration removed and replaced, so it might be worth looking into having a high-quality restoration planned and placed from the outset, here in the U.K

 

Language barriers

 

Good communication between a dentist and a patient is the foundation for a trusting rapport. If you suffer with dental phobia, you may find it stressful if you can’t communicate your anxieties to a dentist in Turkey, who may not have good enough command of the English language to understand your worries. You may also find that during the procedure, they are unable to understand if you are in pain or you would like them to stop mid-treatment if you are uncomfortable for any reason.

 

Our advice

Consider less invasive treatments to improve your smile

 

One of the biggest dental tourism to Turkey trends is individuals seeking crowns treatment to improve the shape, size and symmetry or your teeth. However, crowns are considered a restorative treatment and should not be used purely to improve the appearance of a smile. Having crowns involves remove up to 75% of your natural tooth structure, and whilst this is favourable in situations where the health of a tooth is compromised, it should not be part of the process to improve the appearance of a smile.

 

In many instances, patients who have travelled to Turkey for veneers or crowns are not aware of the fact that natural tooth structure needs to be removed

 

A less invasive option to improve your smile is composite bonding, which doesn’t require your natural tooth structure to be removed. Resins are layered directly to your tooth, and shaped into place, yielding a natural-looking and pleasing result. Read more about composite bonding here.

 

Do your research

 

With something as important as your teeth, it’s important to explore your options and look into your shortlist of dental practices in more detail. Take a look at a given dental practice’s history, dentist team profiles, the services they offer and their reviews section. A dental practice’s blog page can also provide you with information about the specialist services they offer.

 

Check their tech

 

The technology and brands a dental practice uses can be a significant difference to the caliber of treatment and care they provide. Cutting-edge facilities such as digital smile design can streamline the treatment journey and allow you to try before you buy. Here at The Bristol Dental Practice, we make sure you are fully involved in the planning and implementation of your treatment.

 

 

Contact The Bristol Dental Practice

 

We offer free no obligation consultations, overseen by our Treatment Coordinator, Rebecca. This is a great opportunity to ask questions about how we carry out treatment and to have a look around our dental practice here in Bristol, before coming in for a clinical examination.

 

Should you wish to book in for a clinical appointment, please contact us. We are more than happy to answer your questions about travelling to Turkey to have dental treatment performed, so that you can make an informed choice of how to proceed.