Mum spent £18,000 on Turkey teeth procedure but left with no teeth and unable to eat
A British mum-of-one had to travel to Turkey three times after what should have been simple dental work left her in 'absolute agony' - eventually resulting in her having to have all her teeth taken out.
Jackie Lynn, 38, from Norwich, became one of many Brits who flew out to Turkey for dental work, after a drop in hormones had left her with 'crumbling' teeth.
However, Jackie had no idea that a procedure she estimated would cost a couple of thousand would end up totalling close to £20k and leave her with life-threatening complications and unable to eat solid food.
The mother-of-one had recently undergone an operation to have her ovaries removed following a Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) diagnosis, resulting in a chemical menopause and loss of estrogen, a hormone crucial to maintaining dental health.
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Jackie initially settled on composite bonding, a non-invasive procedure in which resin is applied to the existing teeth to fix up her smile, costing a total of £3,000, and she was initially very happy with her work.
'I was in absolute agony'
However, the bonding applied to the 38-year-old's new smile would soon start 'cracking off', leaving her back at square one.
Jackie decided to fly out to Turkey once again, this time paying £6,000 to get a series of crowns at a different clinic.
She agreed to have root canals performed as part of the procedure, only to wake up and find the dentist had actually given her a total of 15 root canals. Jackie's shock didn't end there either, as the individual crowns she was expecting turned out to be crown bridges.
"I got sedated, and when I awoke, I was in absolute agony," the Norwich-based mum explained.
"I was in horrendous pain; it was a pain that shot through your whole body," she continued, explaining that the pressure from the crown bridges left her mouth in agony.
"The two end teeth were taking the pressure of the bridge and the pain was unreal," she added. "Within a week, I was back [in Turkey]."
'I'm 38 years old, I shouldn't be losing all my teeth'
Jackie's ordeal didn't end there either, as another dentist said her teeth had been shaved down too much and recommended she have them removed and replaced with implants – bringing her dental fees to a total of £18,000, which she had to borrow from her dad.
"I was thinking 'what the hell have I done?'. I was so upset," Jackie recalled, thinking of the news. "I'm 38 years old, I shouldn't be losing all my teeth."
The extensive procedures also came with numerous complications, including a potentially life-threatening blood infection caused by a dental abscess.
"All of the side of my face had swollen up, and I couldn't see out of my eye as it was swollen and black," Jackie said, adding that she was admitted and put on the drip while doctors treated the infection.
"The infection had started in two abscesses at the bottom of the teeth, and then it has spread through my face into my sinuses and into my blood."
Jackie has now been left with a set of temporary teeth while she waits for a permanent pair to be fitted later this year, however, the extensive procedures have taken an extensive toll on her health.
'It's just not worth it'
"I'm sure I've got PTSD. I've lost months of time with my daughter, and I lost my job," she said of the process. "I've just been really down and depressed and it's just been too much.
"I now owe my dad £18,000. I can only eat very soft food while the implants heal and you can't put any pressure on them."
Despite the ordeal she's been through, Jackie does not blame the Turkish clinics, saying that a dental crisis in the UK was forcing people to seek cheaper treatment options.
"My treatment wasn't purely cosmetic, I did it as I had problems with my teeth," she said.
"I think people that are wanting purely cosmetic really need to do their research as it's just not worth it."
Responding to Jackie's case, Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, said: "Dentists are aware that many people are struggling to access care and may be tempted to go overseas for cut-price treatment.
"We advise people to think carefully before booking any treatment abroad and to do their research.
"Patients need to provide informed consent for any treatment they have and be wary of a hard sell, as the reality is rarely as simple as it appears on Instagram.
"Sadly, many UK dentists are now picking up the pieces when things go wrong."
Brenna Cooper