Turkey Teeth Gone Wrong: What Happens and How to Avoid It

"Turkey teeth" is the name the UK press and social media gave to a full set of white crowns or veneers made abroad, and the stories of Turkey teeth gone wrong are the ones that travel furthest. We are a dental clinic in Antalya, so we have an interest here, and we would rather say it plainly: some of those stories describe real harm, and most of it could have been avoided before the patient ever got on a plane. About Persona Smile explains who we are and how we work.

This guide sets out what tends to go wrong, why it happens, how to protect yourself and what to do if it has already happened to you. It applies to any clinic, in Turkey or anywhere else, and that includes us: the questions below are the ones we expect to be asked, and our about page answers several of them.

What "gone wrong" usually means

Most of the problems people describe fall into a handful of groups. None of them is unique to Turkey; they can happen wherever a large number of teeth are treated quickly without enough planning.

• Healthy teeth cut down for crowns. A crown covers the whole tooth, so the tooth is reduced on every side to make room for it. When a patient wanted whiter or straighter teeth and a smaller treatment would have done, that tooth structure has been removed for nothing, and it does not grow back.
• Sensitivity and nerve problems. The more a tooth is reduced, the closer the work comes to the nerve. Some teeth become sensitive for a while after preparation and settle; others become inflamed or die, and then need root canal treatment.
• Gums that bleed, swell or recede. Where a crown or veneer meets the tooth, the edge has to be closed and smooth. A bulky or open edge collects plaque, and the gum around it can stay sore and inflamed.
• A bite that does not feel right. If the new teeth do not meet the opposite teeth evenly, some take too much force. That can lead to aching, chipped ceramic or jaw discomfort.
• Teeth that look wrong. Too white, too long, too thick or all identical, so the smile looks artificial rather than like your own teeth on a good day.
• No one to call afterwards. A problem that is simple to fix in the chair becomes much harder when the patient is at home and cannot get an answer.

Why it happens

When we look at how these cases come about, the same few causes keep appearing. They are about planning and time rather than the country or the price on its own.

The treatment was chosen before anyone looked at the teeth

A price for "20 crowns" quoted from a single photo is a price for a product, not a plan for your mouth. A dentist needs to see your teeth, gums and bite, usually with X-rays, before deciding what each tooth needs. For many people wanting a brighter or more even smile, whitening, composite bonding or veneers change far less of the tooth than crowns.

Too many teeth in too little time

Preparing, scanning, making and fitting a full set of restorations is a lot of work. When it is squeezed into a few days with no room for a try-in or an adjustment, small errors in fit, shade or bite are fixed in place rather than corrected.

The patient did not see the design first

The shape, length and shade of new teeth are choices. If you do not see a design and agree it before any tooth is prepared, you find out what you are getting at the fitting, when it is much harder to change.

Aftercare was never agreed

Crowns and veneers need looking after, and some problems only show up weeks later. If nothing was agreed in writing about who you contact and what happens next, you are left to work it out from home.

How to protect yourself before you book

You cannot judge the quality of dental work from a website, but you can judge how a clinic plans. These checks apply to every clinic, including us.

1. Ask for a written plan, tooth by tooth. It should say what is recommended for each tooth, why, which material, how many visits and the total price. If a plan recommends crowns on teeth that are healthy, ask why, and ask what the alternatives are.
2. Ask who will treat you. You should get a name, and be able to check that dentist's degree, university and training. Our guide to checking a Turkish clinic's credentials explains how.
3. Ask to see the design first. For veneers, crowns and smile makeovers, ask whether you will see the planned shape of your teeth and agree it before any tooth is prepared.
4. Ask where the teeth are made. A lab close to the dentist makes it easier to adjust a shade or a bite while you are still there.
5. Ask what happens if something goes wrong. Who do you contact, how, and what happens if you need to be seen? Get the answer in writing.
6. Show the plan to your own dentist. A dentist at home who knows your teeth can tell you whether the plan makes sense.

It also helps to know what to expect over the years. Our guide on how long dental treatments last explains why crowns and veneers need maintenance and eventually replacement, wherever they are made.

If your treatment has already gone wrong

If you are living with a problem now, the order in which you do things matters.

• Get pain, swelling or infection seen promptly. A dentist near home, NHS or private, can examine you, take X-rays and deal with anything urgent. If you cannot get a dental appointment and you have severe swelling or difficulty swallowing or breathing, get urgent medical help.
• Collect your records. Ask the clinic that treated you for your treatment plan, X-rays, scans, the materials used and any implant details. A dentist at home can do much more with them.
• Contact the clinic in writing. Describe the problem, attach clear photos and keep a copy of every message. Many problems, such as a bite that needs adjusting, have a simple answer.
• Get an independent opinion before more treatment. Before anything is removed or redone, it is worth hearing from a dentist who did not do the original work.

Our guide to what happens if something goes wrong after dental treatment abroad covers the next steps in more detail.

How we work at Persona Smile

We would rather tell you how we work than ask you to trust us. You can check each of these for yourself.

• A written plan before you travel. After a free consultation from your photos, a dentist sends a written plan with the treatment, the materials, the number of visits and the price. The plan says why each item is there, and if a smaller treatment such as bonding or whitening would do the job, the dentist will say so.
• An examination before treatment. Your first appointment in Antalya is an examination and scans. If the scans show something the photos could not, you hear about it then, with the options and any change to the price in writing.
• A design you agree first. For veneers, crowns and smile makeovers, the shape of your teeth is planned with Digital Smile Design, and you see it before any tooth is prepared.
• A lab in the building. Our restorations are made by OGN Dental Studio, the lab in our building, so a shade or a bite can be adjusted while you are still in Antalya.
• Named dentists. Our dentists are listed on the Our dentists page, and the dentist treating you is named in your written plan.
• Staying in touch. After you fly home we stay in touch on WhatsApp. If something does not feel right, send a message with a photo and a dentist will look at it.

Our prices are published on our price list, and you are welcome to show your plan to your own dentist before you decide. When you are ready, book a free consultation and send us a few photos.