Mum shares horrifying photos of Turkey teeth op gone wrong – and warns ‘the perfect smile doesn't exist'

Scottish Sun

3 days ago

A swollen face, recurring sinusitis, bad headaches, nose bleeds, mood swings and poor mental health weren't what Leanne signed up for when she opted for more cost effective dental implants
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TEMPTED by glossy social media ads and the low cost of treatment abroad, Leanne, from Telford, Shropshire, decided to fly to Turkey to fix her broken smile.
But her dreams of a perfect Hollywood grin were soon shattered when the op turned horror ordeal left her with chronic sinusitus, a swollen face, nosebleeds and "excruciating" pain.
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Leanne, who's a professional DJ, decided to fly out to Antalya for dental implants after she was told it would cost well over £40,000 in the UK
Credit: Leanne
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The procedure left her with substantial bruising
Credit: Leanne
The mum-of-two, who's also a professional DJ, was living in Turkey in 2009.
In need of a filling, she visited a Turkish dentist who went on to offer her a dental bridge and veneers.
She said: "My teeth had been ok before, but a dentist in the UK pulled out three teeth she thought were milk teeth because they were small.
"So I had a dental plate and hated it.
"When I went to the Turkish dentist he said he could make me a bridge and veneers - at the age of 26 who doesn't want the perfect teeth and smile?"
Leanne was well aware veneers have a shelf life, usually of 10 years.
She continued: "I got around 13 years out of mine, I always knew I'd need implants next."
But after enquiring about treatment in the UK, Leanne was told it would cost well over £40,000.
She said: "So I looked online, plucked up enough courage and money, and flew out to Antalya for dental implants."
On April 2024, she checked into ES Clinic in Turkey for an initial consultation.
I went to Turkey to get the perfect Snapchat filter face but my op was more like a horror film - my eye no longer shuts
Leanne was told the procedure would involve inserting four screws into the top of her jawbone, and four on the bottom.
She would then have temporary teeth put over the top and be required to return four/five months later to have a bracket of 12 teeth on top and bottom screwed in.
But because she'd previously had a dental plate, she was informed she'd also need a bone graft, sinus lift and extra screws.
Describing the first day of her treatment, Leanne said: "The first lot of injections went in and they started to remove my teeth. I could feel everything.
"After around 20 injections I could still feel it, and when they had the suction tool in my mouth I kept choking and gagging.
"The sinus lift was like a hammer and felt like them hammering something up.
It's like a horror movie that you're fully awake for
Leanne
"It's like a horror movie that you're fully awake for."
After the first day of treatment was over with, she was picked up and taken back to the hotel she was staying at, where she met other customers having the same procedure done.
She said: "You're given ice packs to use, but I couldn't think of anything worse than ice when you have toothache.
"So I made some makeshift hot water bottles with two water bottles.
"I was there on my own and on the phone to family and friends crying my eyes out because I was in so much pain.
"I was also very hungry, but you can't eat because your mouth is so swollen and there were screws sticking out."
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Leanne was initially happy with the results of the temporary implants
Credit: Leanne
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But just a month after the initial treatment she started experiencing problems
Credit: Leanne
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Painful blisters formed in her nose, leaving her face disfigured
Credit: Leanne
Despite being in pain from the procedure, which left her with substantial bruising, Leanne was initially happy with the results of the temporary implants and started feeling "pretty" again just two weeks after the ordeal.
She said: "I couldn't have been happier, I was in pain but still smiling.
"In the airport on the way home my face started to hurt so much, I was literally buying cups of ice and putting them on my face.
"My face was black and blue like id been in a huge fight.
"But when I got back to the UK did I think it was it all worth it? Yes, the start of a perfect smile and to feel pretty."
But, just a month after having her temporary implants fitted, Leanne started experiencing problems that would eventually result in painful blisters forming in her nose, leaving her face disfigured.
She recalled: "I started to get bad headaches, toothache where there were no teeth, and sinus problems, which I'd never had before.
"I was in and out of the doctors and given antibiotics. But nothing was clearing this.
"Then my face started to change shape, my nose was so sore, I couldn't even touch it.
"It felt like broken glass being smashed in my face and being smeared around. It still feels like that today."
Worried about the implants, Leanne went to seek help from her dentist in the UK, but says she was met with 'I told you not to go to Turkey so i'm not seeing you'.
Leanne said: "I left the dentist in floods of tears. So I went to a private dentist who did a scan and confirmed all the implants were in as they should be."
A year later, she still hasn't had the final implants fitted and she's taking back-to-back antibiotics to manage the pain.
She said: "I'm getting messages off the Turkish dentist saying to come back to get them finished, but because I'm on all these different antibiotics I don't want to go back over until the infection has cleared.
"I constantly get treated for sinusitis.
"I got hospitalised over night on an IV feed and got sent home the following day because there was Covid on the wards.
"I'm currently in the worst pain of my life going back and forth to A&E. Five different hospitals have said 'we cant do anything'."
Leanne has since visited another private dentist who did a 4D scan of her head and was able to confirm what's going on.
She said: "One implant has pierced through my sinuses, the other is in my nose.
"He couldn't tell me if we could keep any because it's not as easy as just pulling them out like teeth. These are grafted into my bones and have to be surgically removed in hospital."
The dentist has referred Leanne to Maxillofacial Clinic for treatment and she's currently waiting for an appointment.
She added: "The pain i'm in is excruciating. It's not as easy as 'walk in, walk out' to get the perfect smile like celebs say.
"I don't ask for sympathy, but I urge people if they are young and want this perfect white smile there is no such thing.
"Now it's a waiting game to have them all cut out and have horrible dentures, but hopefully it will stop the pain I'm in.
"I feel so ugly now, I cant go and DJ. One, my face couldn't handle it, and two, the pressure and noise would make my head explode.
"I should be going back to Ibiza and doing lots of festivals, but I just want to hide in my room and be locked away from everyone.
"My face swells up, I have bad headaches, nose bleeds, mood swings, and my mental health is through the roof.
"I just want it to be over.
Leanne is currently fundraising for private treatment. To donate, click here.
ES Clinic has been contacted for comment.
Going abroad for medical treatment
IF you're thinking about having medical treatment in another country, it's important to understand how it works and the risks involved.
Going for medical treatment abroad is not easy and a GP or NHS England can only do so much to help you.
You'll have to make the arrangements yourself, including finding a healthcare provider and making all the travel arrangements.
This means it's important to do some research and gather enough information to make an informed choice.
You should consider: any language barriers
whether you know enough about the people who'll treat you and the facilities available
communication between medical staff abroad and in the UK, such as exchanging medical records and arranging aftercare back home
how to make a complaint if things go wrong – the NHS is not liable for negligence or failure of treatment
You'll need to be aware of how your aftercare will be provided when you return home and understand the conditions under which you'll be treated abroad.
You should also ensure you have adequate insurance. Most travel insurance policies will not cover you for planned treatment abroad, so you may need specialist cover.
Follow the treatment abroad checklist from the NHS: Think about your reasons for going abroad: Make sure your decision is based on the quality of the medical care you would like to receive and not on how appealing the destination seems for a holiday.
Make sure your decision is based on the quality of the medical care you would like to receive and not on how appealing the destination seems for a holiday. Know the warning signs: Think carefully before booking any treatment abroad if there is a hard sell, lack of information, pressure to make a quick decision, no discussion of possible complications, and no mention of aftercare.
Think carefully before booking any treatment abroad if there is a hard sell, lack of information, pressure to make a quick decision, no discussion of possible complications, and no mention of aftercare. Get a second opinion: A doctor can give you a valuable second opinion as well as advice about treatment options and whether it's necessary.
A doctor can give you a valuable second opinion as well as advice about treatment options and whether it's necessary. Do your research: Have you checked the qualifications of the medical team treating you? Have you been able to ask them questions about your treatment? Are you satisfied with the facilities and standards at the clinic or hospital where you'll be treated?
Have you checked the qualifications of the medical team treating you? Have you been able to ask them questions about your treatment? Are you satisfied with the facilities and standards at the clinic or hospital where you'll be treated? Check if you can get funding for treatment abroad: Before considering paying for treatment abroad yourself, find out if you're eligible to receive funding for planned treatment in Europe .
find out if you're eligible to receive funding for planned treatment in Europe Aftercare and possible side effects or complications: Make sure you understand the possible complications and side effects that could arise from your treatment.
Make sure you understand the possible complications and side effects that could arise from your treatment. Do the maths: If your main reason for going abroad is to save money, make sure you've factored in fluctuating exchange rates, the possibility of extending your stay if necessary and the cost of possible return trips.
If your main reason for going abroad is to save money, make sure you've factored in fluctuating exchange rates, the possibility of extending your stay if necessary and the cost of possible return trips. Check you're sufficiently insured: Before travelling abroad for treatment make sure you have appropriate travel insurance and tell your insurer about your plans to have treatment abroad.
Source: NHS
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Leanne felt like broken glass had been smashed in her face and then smeared around
Credit: Leanne