A model claims he looked like a ‘shark’ after flying to Turkey to get his teeth set.
Jack James, from Manchester, wanted to fix his crooked teeth to look ‘better on camera’.
But unable to afford a procedure in the UK, the desperate 22-year-old spent £3,000 last September to get veneers in Istanbul.
On his return to the UK, Mr. James was initially happy with the results, boasting that they ‘looked good’.
But in May, he suddenly had trouble flossing and soon developed bleeding gums and “terrible breath.” He also claims that his mouth started to ‘pus and leak’.
Jack James, from Manchester, decided to fix his crooked teeth to ‘look better on camera’. But unable to afford the high cost of dentistry in the UK, the desperate 22-year-old spent £3,000 on surgery in Istanbul last September
James said, “I decided to get my teeth done to look better on camera.” “They looked fine until they started bleeding and hurting. They began to fester and leak. My breath stank.’ (Pictured before having the veneers installed in Turkey)
This image shows how a tooth is shaved off slightly to make room for a thin veneer
An emergency dental appointment in Manchester confirmed he had an infection, in the form of an abscess.
Mr James claims his dentist said his teeth were ‘a mess’ and told him it would cost up to £20,000 to fix it.
Describing his horrific ordeal, he said, “When they took out the veneers, I saw that they had shaved my teeth off so much.”
‘I looked like a shark. It was like something out of a horror movie.’
Unsure of what to do, Mr James contacted the clinic in Turkey for help, but “they were adamant it wasn’t their fault,” he said.
He added, “They said I would have to pay again to get it fixed.”
Quoted £4,500 by the same clinic – a quarter of the price expected in the UK – he decided to return to Istanbul this month to have the veneers removed. He got a new set.
He said, “They took out all my teeth and the abscess and put temporary teeth in.”
One of Mr. James’s new veneers – a porcelain shell that fits over a tooth – has already fallen out, leaving him with a gap between his teeth.
Mr James is now warning others to do their research before going abroad for dental treatment.
He said, ‘I’m so mad at myself. I feel like pulling out all my teeth.’
An emergency dentist appointment in Manchester confirmed he had contracted an infection and his teeth were ‘a mess’ – but he was told it would cost up to £20,000 to fix. When the dentist took out his veneers, he realized he looked “like a shark.”
After having a new set of veneers fitted, he returned to the UK earlier this month. But while brushing his teeth, one of his veneers – a crown – has already fallen out, leaving him with a gap between his teeth
Unsure of what to do, Mr James contacted the clinic in Turkey for help, but “they were adamant it wasn’t their fault,” he said. He added, “They said I would have to pay again to get it fixed.” Quoted by the clinic at £4,500 – a quarter of the price expected in the UK – he decided to return to Istanbul in June to have the veneers removed
For decades, Britons have been warned against seeking cheaper surgeries in places like Turkey, Eastern Europe or South East Asia.
Turkey is not inherently more dangerous than other surgical tourism hotspots.
But cheap flights between the UK and the UK – as well as the rise of the trend to combine cosmetic surgery with a holiday – have made it one of the main destinations for Brits looking to go under the knife.
This is especially the case for dentistry, where millions of Britons struggle to see their own dentist. The combination has fueled the “turkey teeth” trend.
One of the most common procedures offered in Turkey, made popular by stars like Katie Price and Love Island’s Jack Fincham, is filing natural teeth into pins and then replacing them with crowns or veneers.
In recent months, desperate Britons have had to resort to using shoelaces and pliers to pull out their rotting teeth.