Danny Tomlinson, a 47-year-old wall and floor tiler from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, is facing a potential repair bill of up to £40,000 after his dental work in Turkey began to fail. He initially paid £3,900 for a full set of crowns and a dental implant, but soon after returning to the UK, his teeth started to loosen.
Impulsive Decision Leads to Ongoing Problems
Tomlinson, who was unhappy with his “crooked, brown and stained” teeth, flew to Turkey in December 2020 without conducting any research. “I didn’t do any research, I just booked it,” he said. “I didn’t want to watch videos or look at the aftermath – I just went on impulse.” He was initially quoted £3,500 for crowns, but the cost rose to £3,900 after an implant was added.
Although he was pleased with the immediate results, saying they “looked a lot better,” problems emerged quickly. “Almost immediately, I noticed the bottom teeth were loose,” he recalled. Over the next six years, he made nine return trips to the Turkish clinic, each time being told little more than a cleaning. “Every time I went back, the clinic didn’t really say anything. They just cleaned my teeth and let me go on my way. Eventually, they said my bottom teeth would need replacing.”
Mounting Costs and Worsening Condition
During his most recent visit to Turkey a month ago, the clinic informed him that multiple teeth were loose and quoted £12,500 for further work. Eight months earlier, a UK dentist had warned that all of his upper crowns and four lower teeth would need replacing. Tomlinson now struggles to eat normally and lives in constant fear that his teeth could fall out. “My teeth move, I can feel it all the time. I can’t eat or bite anything and I have to use a knife and fork for burgers. I can’t shut my mouth properly so it’s always half open. The dentist said they won’t all fall out in five minutes but there’s a risk and the top two front teeth are in the danger zone.”
Regret and Warning to Others
Tomlinson has been quoted £3,000 per tooth for implants, leading to a potential total of £40,000. He expressed deep regret: “If I told a UK dentist my plan to have all my teeth shaved down, they would have told me not to have it done. I could have just had a brace and I wish that’s what I’d done. I really regret it now. I should never have done it.” He has ruled out returning to Turkey and warns other Britons: “Don't go to Turkey for dentist work. Do not do it. Not one dentist in England would have told me to shave my teeth down. Don't get them shaved down when you can just get a brace. The prices are going up. I'd never recommend one person on this planet to get their teeth done in Turkey.”
