Turkey is one of the leaders in cosmetic dentistry, ranking fifth in the list of countries in terms of the number of cosmetic surgeries performed per year. But on many social networks, such as TikTok, the term “Turkey teeth” is used in sensationalist content describing an influencer’s bad experience with Turkish dentistry.
Such content suggests that Turkish dentistry is generally bad. But is this the case?
Table of Contents
The most popular types of treatments in Turkey
Timescale
1 visits
Price
from £100
Guarantee
15 years
Outcome
local or local with sedation
Zirconium porcelain crown/full veneer – £160
Metal porcelain crown/full veneer – £100
E-Max crown/full veneer – £200
E-Max laminate veneer – £200
Lumineer – £240
Inlay / Onlay ceramics – £240
The Social Overview of the Term “Turkey Teeth”
While in the past, Turkish teeth was just a shorthand phrase used to describe a dental treatment done in Turkey, nowadays, the term has attained negative connotations among the users of several social media platforms. This perception is caused by online influencers, some of whom have received poor-quality dental work in Turkey, while others are pushing dishonest stories and simplified explanations of their treatments to receive more views and, thus, money. We will discuss how they manipulate public opinion later in this article, but first, we should explain one common feature of all such statements.
What many “Turkey teeth” horror stories have in common is that the patients who tell them have undergone extremely unconventional cosmetic dental procedures, such as full-mouth crown installation on perfectly healthy teeth.
Most dental procedures in Turkey are much more conservative, and an experienced doctor won’t offer the patient to install dental prostheses on all their teeth just to get a better-looking smile.
It is common to hear that patients are disappointed with their treatment, but you should understand that veneer or crown installation is a permanent, irreversible procedure. While tooth prostheses can be replaced, the patient will never get their natural teeth back. Disappointment with a permanent change in your appearance is a valid concern, so if you’ve decided on a large-scale cosmetic procedure, be sure to learn as much as you can about it.
Why Getting Your Teeth Done is Less Expensive in Turkey?
Some believe that the phenomenon of “Turkey teeth” is due to the very low healthcare prices in Turkey, but this is actually not the case.
Indeed, it won’t cost you an arm and leg to get your teeth fixed in Turkey. The prices for dental procedures are formed under the influence of several factors, none of which hurts the quality of a procedure. The main driver of low prices is Turkey’s low cost of living. It makes prices for every service and good provided in Turkey lower than in a country with higher living costs. For a person from a country that is more expensive to live in, it is best to consider this as some kind of proportional “discount” on all prices. Thus, you should analyse prices in several Turkish clinics to understand what the average cost of a procedure is. Prices that are too low compared to other Turkish clinics can be a sign of poor quality.
Other reasons for lower prices in Turkey are invariably the results of lower living costs. It is cheaper to get a quality medical education and rent a building for the clinic than in the West. The government also provides several financial aid programs for clinics that allow them to use the best equipment and practices.
But otherwise, Turkey is just like any other country. Some clinics and dentists offer substandard services, and choosing the best place for dental procedures abroad is just as important, if not more so, than in your home country.
Who is to Blame for Bad Turkey Teeth?
There are, in fact, many reasons why some people can get bad results from their procedure. But some of the stories about bad “Turkey teeth” one can find online are not true, or, at least, not honest.
As the “Bad Turkey Teeth” trend has grown, it created an initiative for some online influencers to produce viral videos that blame their stub-like teeth on Turkish dentist malpractice. At least in some cases, it portrays a normal part of the crown installation procedure. To install a crown, the doctor files down most of the patient’s tooth, as the crown will replace its visible part entirely. This creates a short and narrow stub. Then, the doctors will manufacture the patient’s crown at the lab, which takes several days. In the meantime, the patient is left with a non-functional tooth. They are usually covered with a temporary crown, but they can be easily removed by hand, which is what some online influencers may have done.
If a patient decides to get an extremely invasive full-mouth crown installation, all their teeth will be like this. And if the patient is replacing previously installed crowns, the dentist will need to remove even more of their natural teeth material to make place for new crowns. As a result, a patient can end up with fang-like teeth before new teeth are installed. To add fuel to the fire, Some of these patients are dishonest with the dentist before crown installation. It may turn out that they do not have enough natural tooth material to replace the crown without building it up with a filling.
This doesn’t mean that there are no cases of bad Turkish dentistry. The quality of healthcare in Turkey varies from place to place, just as in any other country. Some dental prostheses can be perfectly functional but look out of place when installed. Therefore, patients should approach any medical service very carefully. Also, the more conservative procedures seldom result in dissatisfaction. If your dentist advises a less radical approach to surgery, it is wiser to heed their warning.
How to Avoid Botched Dental Treatments in Turkey?
The best way to avoid getting unsuccessful dental procedures in Turkey is to choose the best clinic in the price range that suits you. It is no different than if you were looking for the best clinic in your country – any quality clinic in Turkey has a website. Pay attention if the articles on their site are up-to-date and contain relevant information. The site should have a price list for services, and, preferably, customer reviews. You can also search for reviews on third-party websites.
Check if the clinic has a social media account. Look for before and after photos and comments on their posts, as some patients leave their reviews there. The way the clinic responds to their patient’s feedback is also important. You can also try contacting the clinic via email or message, depending on what channels they offer. High-quality, professional clinics should respond quickly and provide concise and understandable answers to your questions.
If you decide to get a dental crown procedure, you should first learn about how it is performed. It is a fairly invasive, irreversible dental surgery, and your expectations of what such an operation can achieve should be realistic.
What Procedures are Included in a Turkey Teeth Treatment?
The most common cosmetic procedures performed at dental clinics in Turkey are veneer and crown installation.
These procedures are similar in effect but differ in scale. A dental veneer replaces the front part of the tooth, while a crown covers it entirely.
Patients choose to install veneers or crowns to make their teeth whiter, alter their shape, close the gaps between them or restore severely damaged teeth that are not amenable to other treatments.
Veneers can be made of polymer composite resin. It is a cheaper option. They do not look very natural but can be installed on an untreated tooth. This means that there is no need to file down the patient’s tooth to install a composite laminate veneer.
Other types of veneers are made of porcelain. They can mimic the appearance of natural enamel but can’t be installed on an untreated tooth. These veneers are more durable and resistant to discolouration, unlike composite veneers. Since the porcelain need to be fired before installation, it is not possible to install a porcelain veneer on the same day the patient’s tooth gets prepared.
Dental crowns are more diverse in their composition. They can be made of metal, resin or ceramic, or mix several materials, such as porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. Because of this, the properties and prices of dental crowns vary widely. Usually, more natural-looking crowns are less durable and more expensive.
The prices of treatments in Turkey also include services that make the patient’s stay easier. Clinics will purchase accommodation and transportation services for their patients, so the only thing a patient must select themselves are their flight and the treatment.
Why Should You Choose MedicaSmile for Your Dental Treatment?
MedicaSmile is a clinic staffed by dentists with many years of experience in complex cosmetic procedures. We offer the full range of cosmetic and functional procedures, such as:
- Veneers and crowns installation
- Implants installation
- Tooth whitening
- Root canal treatments
- Smile makeover procedures
- Dentures
Our clinic has been on the market for more than ten years and performed thousands of successful procedures since then. So you can be sure that our dentistry is one of the best in Turkey. You can make an appointment for a free online consultation so our doctors can decide on your treatment plan.
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