The wish to have a perfectly aligned and bright line of teeth at an economic price is leaving Britishers with excruciating pain and abscess, with a possibility of having their teeth removed
Representational image. AFP
A latest dental trend known as “Turkey teeth” is turning into a nightmare for British dentists who are warning people against it.
As per a new BBC report, hundreds of British dentists have treated patients with serious complications after they travelled abroad to get cut-price crowns.
What are Turkey teeth?
When Lisa Martyn from Ireland went to Turkey “hoping to achieve a perfect smile for her son’s wedding”, she didn’t fathom she would have to get dentures at the age of 48.
As per the BBC report, she paid ?2,960 for the cosmetic treatment which she thought was veneers but was actually a set of crowns.
Veneers are usually thin shells placed around teeth that are minimally shaved down. Months later she discovered she had actually been given crowns.
The cosmetic treatment involves 60 per cent – 70 per cent of the natural tooth being filed down to fangs or stubs, before a tooth cap is glued on top.
Patients can choose the shape, material and colour of these caps, often opting for a bright, white, symmetrical smile, the report said.
Since it involves travelling to countries like Turkey, it has been dubbed “Turkey teeth”. The trend has become popular on social media, where a TikTok hashtag has reached more than 130 million views, and with several reality TV influencers.
Why are the dentists suggesting against it?
Months after Martyn returned from Turkey, she started suffering intense pain due to nerve sensitivity. Unable to eat properly due to the pain, she has lost more than 12.7kg and has spent months relying on painkillers.
As the pain increased, an infection and abscess was found in Martyn’s teeth, which she said nearly paralysed half of her face.
As per the report, she has been told the only long-term treatment available is implants or dentures.Several UK dentists have emphasised crowns can cause major complications.
The procedure, they said, could have their licenses revoked.
As per the BBC report, 597 of 1,000 dentists said they had treated both patients with crown complications and seen patients who visited Turkey for their dental treatment.
Nearly one in five of those surveyed said the repair costs exceeded ?5,000.
As per a medical study, on average a quarter of crowns have to be extracted after 15 years.
Crowns also increase the risk of having root canal treatments, extractions and dentures in future.
“Sadly, many UK dentists are now picking up the pieces when things go wrong. We strongly advise people considering this to check a dentist’s qualifications and experience and whether they are insured if things go wrong,” Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Association (BDA) warned.With inputs from agencies
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