The phrase ‘Turkey Teeth’ has become a part of everyday speech. Almost everyone will have come across someone who has travelled abroad for one form of cosmetic intervention or another. Often, one of the most obvious interventions to the observer is the wall-to-wall, overly white new set of teeth.
Sometimes these are legitimate and possibly understandable full-mouth reconstructions using implants, often provided for patients who have grossly broken-down teeth or who have complete upper and lower dentures and are looking for a more stable and better-looking solution. We can explore later in the piece why it may be unwise to travel abroad for these treatments, in spite of the obvious cost savings, but I want to focus on the more common full-mouth veneer cases because this is where the most catastrophic damage is being done.
Problems with Turkey Teeth Veneers
There are many reasons why you should avoid this type of drastic cosmetic dentistry. We have already seen cases in the practice where patients have returned to us, usually from Turkey but also from Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Heavily Prepared Teeth
The common problems we are seeing are that the teeth have been too heavily prepared: too much of the natural tooth substance has been drilled away. You may have seen pictures online of patients with all of their remaining teeth cut down to little pegs; these are not veneer preparations, and no ethical dentist in the UK would ever prepare teeth in that way for dental veneers.
Dental veneers are a way of preserving as much of the underlying natural tooth as possible and only providing a new front surface for aesthetic reasons. Occasionally, we might prepare them so that the veneer just breaks through the contact between the tooth and its neighbour.
Dental Crowns Sold As Veneers
The tooth preparations we are seeing that are being sold as veneers are, in fact, crowns, where the restoration wraps all the way over and around the teeth. There is very little natural tooth left behind, and these teeth are very likely to cause problems later. Shaving too much off the teeth requires drilling very close to the nerve inside the tooth; even if the nerve is not actually exposed during the preparation, the heat generated by the cutting can irreversibly damage the nerve, leading to its death and a subsequent infection. Infected teeth go on to develop abscesses and may require root canal therapy or extraction. These weakened teeth are also prone to fracturing at gum level.
We have seen these heavy preparations on teeth that were otherwise perfect. These dentists are using this technique because it is easier for the technician to align the teeth into that ‘perfect smile’ and also easier to mask underlying darker shades and achieve that ultra-white row of unnatural-looking teeth.
Teeth Being Fused To Neighbouring Teeth
Another common problem we have seen is when these teeth are fused to their neighbours. The only time we would do that in the UK is when we are fabricating bridges, where natural teeth are used as support for missing teeth, or (very occasionally) to splint teeth that are moving in the jawbone. What we are seeing is teeth joined together for no obvious reason. These teeth are then almost impossible to clean properly in between, and they will again go on to develop infections.
Damage To Interdental Anatomy
Constructing advanced dental work is highly complex, and we work closely with our technicians at Smile Oralcare to reproduce as natural a dentition as possible. The interdental anatomy has to be preserved, with the V-shaped space recreated to help with cleaning and thus prevent gum disease. Time and again, we are seeing cases where the triangle of healthy pink gum has been compressed to make the teeth look longer.
There is no doubt that there is a trend towards whiter teeth, and we are proud to offer patients both in-surgery and home teeth whitening, but the cases we are seeing are being constructed with teeth so white that they could never be real. Our own preference is to work with patients to agree on a shade that looks as natural as possible.
What Do You Do To Avoid It Going Wrong With Turkey Teeth?
Fortunately, there are alternative dental treatments available for smile reconstruction, which we will discuss in a future blog post. However, if you would like to discuss your options with us, book a cosmetic dentistry consultation with us online or call the practice on 01733 560 700. We look forward to welcoming you to our Peterborough private dental practice.
Be assured that we will always explain everything fully, including the risks and potential drawbacks. Fully informed consent seems to be distinctly absent in many of the cases of dental tourism we have seen in our practice.
Cosmetic Dentistry in Peterborough at Smile Oralcare
At Smile Oralcare, we believe that everyone deserves a smile that they can feel proud of, and we offer a complete range of cosmetic dentistry treatments in Peterborough to help our patients transform their smiles. Our cosmetic dentistry treatments are designed to enhance the natural beauty of your teeth and cater to patients looking for everything from a subtle refresh through to a complete smile transformation.
There is no need to consider turkey teeth implants, turkey teeth veneers or indeed turkey teeth whitening abroad and risk the many problems associated with these treatments when you can access quality cosmetic dentistry in Peterborough at Smile Oralcare. We use the latest dental technology, techniques and materials to deliver beautiful and long-lasting results for our patients.
Whether you choose dental veneers, dental implants or dental crowns to replace missing teeth, or opt for minimally invasive composite bonding or teeth whitening, our experienced and friendly cosmetic dentists can help.
Book Your Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation
If you are looking to transform your smile, the first step is to book a cosmetic dentistry consultation with us. During your consultation, our professional and experienced cosmetic dentists will take the time to understand what you are looking to achieve, your budget, and address any concerns you may have, with a bespoke cosmetic dentistry treatment plan.
Our cosmetic dentists always guide patients through their options and explain the benefits, alternatives and expected outcomes of each treatment. We are committed to helping our patients make informed decisions about their cosmetic dentistry treatments with confidence.
Book your cosmetic dentistry consultation at Smile Oralcare online or by calling our friendly practice team on 01733 560 700.