‘Turkey Teeth’ – An Unnecessary And Potentially Harmful Treatment?

Inspired by programmes like Love Island, young people are heading abroad for highly invasive cosmetic dental treatments

Some of our Canterbury patients may have seen recent news reports about the number of young people who have travelled abroad for highly invasive dental treatment, perhaps following the example of some  Love Island contestants.  Although we completely understand why people want to have the best looking teeth possible, this has to be weighed up against the risks of some of the treatments available and the actual need for the treatment to be carried out.

For example, a teeth whitening procedure is harmless if carried out by a qualified dentist and this can really give a boost to those with discoloured teeth. Other treatments, such as veneers, are more invasive and the need should be balanced against the outcome.

One of the main treatments that these people have been travelling abroad for, often to Turkey and therefore the name ‘Turkey teeth’, is to have multiple dental crowns fitted for cosmetic purposes and it is this treatment that we will look at in today’s Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic blog.

Are dental crowns a valid treatment?

Crowns have long been used for restoring badly decayed or broken teeth and offer an excellent restorative option, leaving natural looking results and providing a high level of strength and functionality. They can also be used for cosmetic purposes, although given the amount of natural tooth that needs to be removed for a crown to be fitted, the decision to have them for this purpose shouldn’t be taken lightly. This is the main problem with ‘Turkey Teeth’; highly invasive treatments are being carried out on young and healthy teeth. This can have a significant impact on the person’s life further down the line.

The rise of ‘Turkey teeth’

It is much more common now to see people on TV with perfectly even and white teeth. This has usually been achieved with cosmetic dentistry options such as teeth whitening and orthodontics. Social media and programmes like Love Island though have raised young people’s expectations as to how ‘great’ their teeth can look if they have dental treatment and how quickly this can be achieved. It appears that people have been travelling to Turkey to have this treatment carried out because of the cheaper prices. There are significant risks here which we will discuss in a future blog post. For today though, we will take a look at why you shouldn’t risk travelling abroad to have crowns fitted for aesthetic purposes, or if you do, at least understand what you are getting into.

Fitting dental crowns

In order to fit a crown, the natural tooth has to be shaped so that a crown can be attached using a clinical adhesive. The amount that needs to be removed varies but can be as much as 70%. Where this is necessary, such as a badly broken tooth, this is acceptable, but to purely make teeth look a little nicer, this should be avoided and many dentists would refuse to carry out the work for this very reason.

In addition to the actual treatment, there is the risk that cheaper materials are being used and the dentists may well not be as qualified or experienced as you would find in the UK. This is a big risk in itself.

If you had this treatment in the UK, it would involve several stages. For example, a consultation would be needed and your general oral health would be checked, with any issues such as gum disease being treated before the treatment could start.  It appears that people wanting to have this done abroad are simply sending photos of their teeth and asking if they can be treated. Naturally, despite the cheaper prices, there is significant income to be made by the Turkish dentists who carry these treatments out and who may not have the same restrictions stopping them from carrying out unnecessary procedures.

Even if you receive excellent dental care abroad, having most of your visible teeth filed down and crowns fitted increases the risk of problems. Some people who have them may not clean their teeth as well as they did before as the crowns are made from artificial materials and can’t decay. This often means that the remnants of the natural tooth become decayed and cavities form, loosening the bond between the crown and tooth. This can cause the crown to become detached. Where significant decay occurs, there can be little natural tooth left to restore and it may need to be extracted and a dental implant used to replace it. This will inevitably add to the cost of maintaining the appearance of your teeth.

Repairing the damage

This brings to light another problem. Given the risks involved with having treatments like this done abroad, there are likely to be a significant number of people who regret it due to the pain and sensitivity that can result over time. Although you may feel that you have had value for money by having the treatment carried out abroad, the savings can soon be wiped out (and more) when you need treatment to repair any damage done to your teeth and oral health in general. As mentioned earlier, if crowns go wrong, there is little leeway for restoration and dental implants or dentures may be needed to replace teeth that need to be extracted.

Patients in some areas of the UK may also find it difficult to find a dentist willing to repair teeth that have been cosmetically treated in this way and if you do, you should expect to pay significant money for it. Our view is that it simply isn’t worth it.

If you live in Canterbury or surrounding areas in Kent, and have been tempted to go abroad for treatment like this, we urge you to reconsider. If you are really unhappy with your teeth, there are treatments available at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic that can help you improve your smile without the significant risk of being treated abroad. We will always carry out a consultation with patients beforehand and will discuss the procedures needed to achieve your aims and also the pros and cons before we move to the treatment stage. You can be sure that you will receive the best and safest care possible and avoid the risks associated with ‘Turkey teeth’. If you would like to find out more and arrange a consultation with us, you can do so by calling us on 01227 463529.