STARING at the bill that had been presented to her, Vicky Robinson couldn’t believe the figure she was staring at.
Having been told her dental bill would be £3,000 she was horrified to see an additional £7,000 tagged on to the end of it.
But she says the procedure has now cost her around £20,000 and she is in constant pain[/caption]
The mum-of-three now says that her “nightmare” £10,000 makeover in Turkey is the worst thing she’s ever done as she’s been left in “agony” for six months and has spent an estimated £10,000 extra trying to fix it.
Vicky jetted there to get a full set of crowns in October.
The 47-year-old claims the procedure was supposed to set her back £3,000.
When she sat in the operating chair, Vicky claims that the surgeon carried out procedures that she hadn’t asked for including two sinus lifts and removing and replacing seven of her teeth with implants.
She alleges she was left in shock when she was handed a bill for £10,000.
Vicky says she was sent home three days later but was in agony because the screws in her implants had come loose.
“They did all this stuff without asking,” Vicky, from Nottingham, claims.
“As soon as they got me in the chair, nobody spoke English.
“I don’t know what I was thinking but when I got the bill, I was in shock.
“They ripped seven teeth out but only gave me six implants.
“I had two sinus lifts for £500 each. I didn’t even know what a sinus lift was.
“My mouth was a mess. They stitched my cheek and gum together and I had an abscess.
“My face was so swollen and I was in so much pain. If there’d been a cliff nearby I would have jumped off it.
“When I got home, I couldn’t get well. I couldn’t eat out of the side of my mouth and I couldn’t drink.
“I lost weight but I was too embarrassed to go to the hospital.”
Vicky claims she flew back to Turkey last month to have her crowns and implants removed and refitted at the same surgery.
She says that this time, the surgeon didn’t coat the crowns properly leaving holes visible in her teeth.
Vicky adds: “I can’t live without antibiotics because there are holes in my crowns and food gets stuck in them causing an infection.
She says she had agreed to a £3,000 surgery but an additional £7,000 worth of treatments were performed[/caption]
She says she was ‘sold a dream’ but the reality was far from it[/caption]
“The first time I went, they sold me the dream. They put me in a nice hotel.
“The second time, the hotel was a shambles.
“They’re supposed to coat the teeth to cover the holes but they didn’t.”
Vicky plans to fly back out to Turkey next week to have the holes filled in and get a £500 refund for two implants that have fallen out.
She fears she’ll never be happy with her smile.
Vicky said: “These teeth are supposed to be permanent and I hate them.
“I’m really fuming. This is my life and it’s been ruined.
My face is wrecked. I can’t go out. The first thing people point out is my swollen face
Vicky Robinson
“I can’t eat on one side and I don’t know what’s wrong.
“My face is wrecked. I can’t go out. The first thing people point out is my swollen face.
“I don’t think it’s ever going to get better.
“I feel so embarrassed.”
Vicky had four veneers fitted on her top, front teeth in the UK seven years ago that cost £4,000.
She said: “I had a gap in my teeth that I didn’t like so I had veneers and it was successful.
Dentist-approved teeth whitening tips
ERIN Fraundorf, DMD, MSD, owner of BOCA Orthodontic + Whitening Studio in Missouri, shared her top tips for whiter teeth.
Seek whitening treatment from a professional. It’s often stronger and will be the most effective so you don’t waste your money on a product that doesn’t work or may harm you. You also only get one set of teeth, so it’s best not to experiment on them.
Consider the cause of the staining. There are numerous causes for teeth to have a yellow or brown tint. Be sure to get evaluated and diagnosed by a professional to ensure you receive the best treatment for your stains. Not all stains are the same so they may require different treatments.
Consider your lifestyle, smile goals, and budget. When choosing a whitening treatment that is best for you, consider multiple factors when designing a custom plan. Some people like homework to whiten at home, some prefer in-office treatments only, some need to get really bright really fast — for a wedding, for example — whereas others would like a more gentle, gradual, consistent approach to whitening.
Ease into it. Start integrating teeth whitening into your routine gradually to get your teeth accustomed to it and you can closely monitor your level of sensitivity to regulate how frequently you can whiten.
Try to prevent. Make tiny changes to your lifestyle in an effort to prevent staining from penetrating your teeth. For example, sip staining beverages through a straw, swish with plain water after drinking anything staining, and pick flat water over sparkling whenever possible.
Water floss to help in between the teeth stains. Blast away stubborn stains in between your teeth with a water flosser, because toothbrush bristles can only reach so much of your tooth surface.
“The dentist was around the corner if I needed her.
“I wanted the rest of my teeth to match so I decided to go to Turkey.
“This place in Turkey said they didn’t do veneers, they just did crowns.
“I’ve spent all my savings. I’ve probably spent £20,000 altogether including flights to get back out there, hotels and babysitters for my children.
“I had to take my children to Flamingo Land because we can’t afford to go abroad.”
Vicky is sharing her story to encourage other people to have surgery in the UK rather than going abroad.
She adds: “I feel like standing outside with a picket telling people not to do it.
“It’s a nightmare. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever done. I wish someone had called me before I went to tell me not to do it.
“I felt like I did a lot of research.
“If anyone else is thinking of going to Turkey to get their teeth done, don’t do it.”
She now wants to encourage others to opt for dental treatments in the UK[/caption]
