A celebrity make-up artist has told how she was left “devastated” after discovering the 24 individual crowns she had fitted in Turkey were actually 16 teeth permanently joined together as bridges.
UK dentists are now quoting her up to £15,000 to put it right.
Vanessa Thornton-Yates, from Cheshire, travelled to Istanbul for cosmetic dental treatment, after being quoted a higher price – and a 12-18 month wait for aligners – by British dentists.
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But opting for budget teeth will now cost the 35-year-old much more than she planned for.
Vanessa is also having to eat on certain sides of her mouth to avoid painful areas that vary day-to-day, and has given up certain foods altogether.
“At the time, I had just suddenly lost my mum to cancer and wasn’t in a good place emotionally,” Vanessa told Need To Know.
“Looking back, travelling abroad for cosmetic dentistry was a flippant decision that I didn’t fully think through.
“My natural teeth were healthy but they were slightly misaligned and not as white as I wanted them to be.
“The cost in the UK was considerably higher than treatment abroad, which was one factor in my decision.
“I was also impatient and didn’t want to wait up to 18 months, which is something I now deeply regret.
“Some days the teeth are very uncomfortable, which can stop me eating altogether, so as not to make the situation worse.”
Vanessa says she trusted the clinic after seeing positive reviews, a 5-star Google rating and a social media portfolio that “looked natural” rather than the stereotypical “Turkey teeth” look.
She had originally planned to have 20 teeth treated but agreed to increase this to 24 after being told she has a wide smile – and claims she would receive individually fitted zirconia crowns.
During her four days in Istanbul, Vanessa’s teeth were shaved down and fitted with a temporary set – but that evening her gums bled and turned a “grey colour”, which frightened her.
She later came to understand that gum contouring had been carried out as part of the treatment, although she “doesn’t feel this was clearly communicated”.
Her final restorations were cemented into place on the third day, before she’d had the chance to inspect them individually.
She said: “Throughout the entire process, my understanding remained that I was receiving 24 individual crowns.
“At no point do I recall anyone explaining that multiple teeth would be permanently joined together as bridges.
“Cosmetically, I was delighted with the result.”
But Vanessa’s teeth were extremely painful and sensitive from the moment she flew home – something she initially assumed was normal after having crowns fitted.
The pain lasted around six months.
Her gums soon began bleeding more frequently and her mouth grew increasingly sore, prompting her to book an appointment with her UK dentist.
What he told her next shocked Vanessa to her core.
She said: “My dentist immediately asked whether I had received my treatment abroad.
“In his opinion, 16 of what I believed were individual crowns were actually connected together as multiple bridges.
“These included bridges joining my four upper front teeth, my four lower front teeth, and additional bridges joining teeth on both sides of my mouth.
“My dentist explained that he believed this treatment wasn’t appropriate in my case because joining the teeth together makes it impossible to floss properly or clean between each individual tooth.
“He diagnosed gum disease and advised that the connected bridges should be removed and replaced with individually restored teeth.
“I was completely shocked.
“I genuinely believed I had paid for and received 24 individual zirconia crowns.
“Discovering that 16 of those restorations were actually connected bridges was devastating.
“I felt angry, disappointed and incredibly upset.
I also blamed myself for not carrying out more research before making such an irreversible decision.
“Every day I worry about what’s happening underneath the restorations and whether my natural teeth are deteriorating.”
The sensitivity has since worsened.
Since her Turkey teeth appointment in September 2024, Vanessa’s gum recession has “rapidly increased” with her gums and teeth aching morning and night – something her UK dentist has put down to the crowns being too tight to her gum line.
She’s been told that removing the bridges and replacing them with individually restored teeth is likely to cost somewhere between £8,000 and £15,000, though she’s yet to receive a final quote.
Despite her ordeal, Vanessa is keen to stress that she isn’t trying to attack the clinic or dentist who treated her, and has opted not to name either.
She said: “My concerns only arose later when I began experiencing ongoing problems and sought advice from my UK dentist.
“I’m sharing my experience because I want people to understand that cosmetic dentistry isn’t just about how your smile looks on the day you leave the clinic.
“It’s also about the long-term health of your teeth and gums.
“I wish I’d taken the longer route in the UK and preserved the health of my natural teeth.
“My aim isn’t to stop people travelling abroad for treatment or to attack one particular clinic.
“My aim is simply to educate people about the risks of choosing what can appear to be a quick fix, so they can make a genuinely informed decision before undergoing irreversible dental treatment.”
