However, in Turkey, we see teeth shaven down to achieve the Hollywood Smile at a fraction of the price of the UK.
And whilst saving money then and there might seem a good thing, in reality, patients are putting their oral foundation at risk.
Reality stars such as Love Islands Jack Fincham and Katie Price have undergone the procedure and documented their experience across social media to their thousands of followers.
And upon reflection, Jack Fincham would never have gone for the treatment if he had known precisely what the procedure involved.
Whilst outcomes might seem significant on social media, as cosmetic dentists regulated by GDC & CDC, it is our job to warn patients about such extremes to achieve the perfect smile.
Cutting corners and using crowns in place of veneers is not the way to go.
A veneer is usually a very thin layer of porcelain but can be made from other materials.
Our cosmetic dentists typically use crowns for repairs and final restorations in treatments that involve dental implants.
One of the main differences between the two treatments is that a veneer covers a fraction of the tooth while a crown covers the whole tooth.
Both last around 5 to 15 years before needing replacements.
Dental crowns are usually recommended when a patient has a tooth beyond saving. For example, when a filling cannot protect your tooth from harmful bacteria, or there is little tooth remaining.
To file down your teeth to receive crowns when they are otherwise perfectly healthy has dire consequences and cannot be reversed at a later stage.
Patients won’t even be able to receive the traditional veneers they initially hoped for.
The Turkey process sees patients having their teeth drastically filed down into fangs or stubs to fit large and invasive crowns cemented over the tooth.
In comparison, the dental veneer process in the UK only removes a fraction (often only 0.5mm) of the tooth’s surface enamel. Therefore preserving more of the natural tooth structure.
“Foreign clinics have a high rate of 17% of complications. In the UK the success rate is around 98%.”
Unfortunately, patients who have faced complications with their Turkey teeth on their return to the UK have been turned away from dentists and local practices.
The materials, systems and techniques used abroad differ from how UK dentists would approach the situation.
For example, one of our leading dentists, Dr Ali Rifai, has seen how bad this can be.
The harsh reality of this treatment is that the outcomes often look fake, and many patients’ teeth have fallen out within the first few weeks.
Here at Gentle Dental, we know that many people struggling to access cheap cosmetic treatments may be tempted to go overseas to save money.
However, you would not believe the work we have seen carried out overseas, where patients have come to our practice with metal grates hanging out of their mouths due to failed implant treatments.
And now, seeing the trend with ‘shark-like’ veneers on TikTok and Instagram, we are concerned that patients may end up with serious oral health complications that cannot be reversed.
For our veneer treatment, we use specific brands such as Durathin, Lumineers and Ultrathin that include no drilling or shaving of the tooth.
With us, patients can trust that implant and veneer treatments are carried out correctly and appropriately.
Sometimes, we may remove a tiny bit of enamel to ensure a successful and long-lasting bond, but this is only a fraction of a millimetre.
The GDC ensures our dental jurisdiction outside of the UK, so clinics abroad cannot be held accountable.
Click here to help with Turkey Teeth or to learn more about our porcelain veneer treatment.
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