A woman from Wrexham who travelled to Turkey and spent £8,000 on new teeth has urged others to do their research before having such procedures.
Marsha Thomas made two trips to Turkey for new crowns and dental implants and said soon after the surgery, she knew something was wrong.
“My face was swollen, my lips were swollen, I could hardly breathe. Two are loose and ill-fitting causing me to have mouth and throat infections.
“I’ve contacted the dentist and said this is not right, they’ve just told me if I contact them ever again, they’re going to take me to court.”
Image Source: ITV – Marsha said she is prone to getting mouth and throat infections since having the treatment.
The rising trend of so-called “Turkey teeth” has seen thousands jetting off abroad in search of the perfect smile.
But experts are warning of the dangers invasive oral surgery can have, with many dentists treating patients with serious complications who decided to travel abroad for surgery.
In a recent report by the British Dentist Association, 86% of dentists surveyed in the UK reported that they treated cases that developed problems following treatment abroad.
Dr Sam Jethwa from the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry said the procedures can often be very difficult to correct.
“One of the biggest problems is this treatment usually does not involve veneers, which a very thin layer of porcelain which gets attached to the front of the tooth.
“Unfortunately they are having crowns which drill the whole of the surface of the tooth away – and that’s very very different.
“In my mind when we see these patients, I see it as dental mutilation, and that’s something that’s very difficult to fix because we can’t grow it back.”
The surgery costs around £2,000 in Turkey, compared to up to £20,000 in the UK.
When asked what she would like to see happen, Marsha said, “I’d like my money back, or half at least so I can get these taken out and new ones put in,
“I can’t bite, they’re loose, they are just causing me so much pain.
She urged others who may be considering similar treatments to get as much information as they can before travelling abroad. “Don’t just Google, speak to local people.”