A woman has shared how she travelled to Turkey to get a set of veneers for £5,400 less than she’d pay in the UK – but is now suffering constant trolling.
Lottie Carr wanted a new smile to repair her chips, cracks, staining and alignment issues.
The 24-year-old from North Wales flew over 2,600 miles to realise her dream, despite being fully aware that her new tegs would only last 10 years.
Despite being overjoyed with the results, after sharing her journey online, Lottie has been receiving a barrage of abuse.
Her TikTok has over 28.9M views and 1.6M likes.
“I knew the video of myself with shaved down teeth would likely invoke some kind of response as it was so outrageous, but I did not expect the video to have international reach and receive the amount of negativity that it did,” she told Need To Know.
“I was told to kill myself, that I’ve ruined my life, that I am still ugly after the procedure and that I’m a bad influence to young and impressionable viewers.
“I don’t think a lot of people share the ‘during’ faze of this procedure online so [people] don’t actually see what is done to create the ‘perfect Hollywood smile’.
“I didn’t really have any major concerns with my teeth until very recently.
“I had chips, cracks, staining and alignment issues and just wanted the perfect smile.”
Lottie was quoted £9,900 for her crown veneers in the UK.
Comparatively, her bill in Turkey came to around £4,000.
She said: “I had 10 crowns on the top and 10 crowns on the bottom.
“There was also a possibility that I was going to need three root canals but they managed to avoid this on the day, luckily!
“My teeth were all shaved down and reshaped to enable the crowns to slot over the top to ensure they seal properly.
“It was uncomfortable but not painful in the slightest as I was injected with anaesthetic.
“I did not feel any sensitivity and it was virtually a pain free process!
“I was at the dentist for four days in a row but only a few hours each day.
“I do get a lot of anxiety that I’m going to lose one, or stain one, or that I’m going to suffer with sudden pain etc – but it has only been a few weeks since the procedure so it is something I need to get used to.
“I am so happy with the results.
“In person, I have had 100% positive reactions.”
Lottie, who describes herself as a “very spontaneous person”, made the decision to have her teeth done just a few months ago.
She knows she’ll likely have to return in a decade to get them redone but isn’t bothered about it.
She said: “I started looking at some TikToks of the procedure before I flew out and seeing other people’s teeth shaved down started to make me feel nervous, I’d not seen it before.
“[But] I think life is short and we should be able to do whatever we want with our own bodies, providing it is safe.
“I made sure that the clinic I chose uses high-quality materials and that the dentist is properly trained, licensed, and experienced.
“I am aware of the longevity of porcelain crowns and am aware I will need to go back in 10 years time – but I live in the now and I’d rather have a big beautiful smile now, rather than live my whole life with my teeth in the condition they were in.
“To achieve the look I wanted, this was my option. “
Lottie feels “overwhelmed” by the response her video has received but is choosing to focus on the positives and not let the trolls win.
She added: “To have that many people see you in the most vulnerable state you’ve ever been in, and to have them all comment on it, it’s really not for the faint-hearted.
“But now that I have seen the results and am so happy with my teeth, I am able to brush off the comments.
“It has definitely made me a lot more aware of the risks and dangers with this type of procedure abroad though.”
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