Dental Treatment in Turkey from the UK and Ireland: An Honest Guide to “Turkey Teeth”

“Turkey teeth”: what the phrase hides

“Turkey teeth” is used in the UK and Ireland both for a bright new smile done abroad and for stories of healthy teeth filed down to small stumps. The difference lies in the treatment plan, not the country. Many people who ask for “Turkey teeth” would be better served by whitening, alignment, bonding or a few veneers than by a full set of crowns. Before you agree to anything, ask which teeth genuinely need treatment, what will be done to each one and why, and what the alternatives are.

Veneers or crowns: why healthy teeth should not be filed down unnecessarily

A laminate veneer is a thin porcelain shell bonded to the front of a tooth, with little and sometimes no preparation of the enamel. A crown covers the whole tooth and needs it to be reduced on every side. Tooth reduction cannot be undone: a tooth prepared for a crown will need a crown for the rest of its life, and heavy preparation can irritate the nerve and lead to root-canal treatment later. Crowns are appropriate for teeth that are broken, heavily filled, root-treated or weakened; for healthy teeth that only need a change of colour or shape, a conservative option is usually considered first.

Dental implants: two trips and months of healing

An implant is a titanium post placed in the jawbone as an artificial root and later topped with a crown. After the scan and placement, the implant needs usually three to six months to fuse with the bone before the final crown or bridge is fitted, so most patients travel twice: a first stay of about 3–5 days for examination, 3D scan and placement, and a second stay of a few days for the final teeth. A temporary tooth can often be worn in between. If bone grafting or a sinus lift is needed, healing may take longer.

Full-arch teeth on a reduced number of implants

When most or all teeth in a jaw are missing or failing, a fixed full-arch prosthesis can be planned on a reduced number of implants. Whether this suits you, and how many implants are needed, depends on your bone, gums, bite and general health, which the 3D scan and examination show. A fixed temporary set may be fitted soon after placement where the dentist considers it safe; the final full-arch teeth follow on the second visit.

Zirconium and porcelain crowns, laminate veneers and smile design

Zirconium (zirconia) and porcelain are the common materials for crowns and veneers, chosen by the dentist according to strength, position in the mouth and appearance. Smile design brings the colour, shape and alignment of your teeth into harmony with your face, lips and gums. The design is prepared digitally and tried in your mouth as a mock-up or temporary teeth; the permanent teeth are made only after you have approved it. Gum disease and decay are treated first. Veneers and crowns last many years with good care, but they are not lifelong and may eventually need replacing.

What to send for a first opinion

Send clear photos of your smile from the front and both sides, your teeth closed and open, and the upper and lower teeth from above and below. If you have one, add a panoramic X-ray (an OPG) taken in the last twelve months; a 3D scan (CBCT) is welcome but not required, as it can be taken in Istanbul. Mention any previous crowns, implants, root canals or gum treatment, your medical conditions and medication (especially blood thinners or bone medication), and whether you smoke.

Days in Istanbul and aftercare back home

For veneers, crowns and smile design plan about 5–7 days in one visit: examination and design first, preparation and temporaries only after you approve the plan, a trial fitting, then final bonding and bite adjustment. For implants plan about 3–5 days for the first visit and a few days for the second. Sensitivity to hot and cold in the first days is common. Tell your dentist at home, NHS or private, about your plans and bring back the written record of what was done and the materials used, so that any dentist can check and maintain your teeth. Check whether you need a visa or e-visa for your passport on the official website evisa.gov.tr. Once your treatment is planned, the clinic confirms your appointment in writing.

What the package includes, the quote and insurance

The package normally includes the dental examination and the scans in your plan, the treatment set out in your written plan, temporary teeth where needed, hotel accommodation, airport–hotel–clinic transfers and a coordinator. Flights are never included. There is no listed price for dental treatment: the quote depends on how many teeth are treated, which treatment each tooth needs, the materials and whether bone grafting is required, so it is written tooth by tooth after the dentist has reviewed your X-rays and photos. UK and Irish dental plans and health insurers usually do not cover treatment abroad; ask your insurer before you book. Dental treatment is carried out at authorised dental healthcare institutions licensed by the Turkish Ministry of Health, such as oral and dental health centres and hospital dental departments; one example is the dental hospital department on the Medipol Mega University Hospital campus in Bağcılar, Istanbul. The institution and the dentist who treats you are named in your written plan before you travel.

Ask for the plan in writing

Before you travel you should have, in writing: the list of teeth to be treated and what each one will receive, whether any healthy tooth will be prepared, the materials, the number of visits and days, what the quote includes and excludes, and the name of the dentist. Send your photos and X-rays on WhatsApp; a dentist reviews them free of charge, and once the plan is clear a coordinator arranges your dates, hotel and transfers and stays in touch after you are home.

• Dental Implants
• Smile Design (Zirconia Crowns & Veneers)
• Prices

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