Turkey Teeth Gone Wrong
What Goes Wrong, and How to Check a Clinic First
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When Turkey teeth go wrong, three causes are worth checking for before you go: healthy teeth filed down for crowns they did not need, a price that grows once treatment has started, and no plan for aftercare back in the UK. None of these is unique to Turkey, and each one can be checked before you pay a deposit.
In a British Dental Association survey published on 14 July 2022, 87% of the dentists who answered named crowns as the treatment done abroad most likely to need follow-up work, with implants next at 85%. People do come home from Turkey pleased with their teeth, and UK dentists do see people who need repairs. This guide explains what tends to go wrong, how long the work should last, and the checks that make the difference.
What goes wrong most often
The BDA survey asked UK dentists about patients they had seen after treatment abroad. 86% of those who had seen such patients said they had treated problems afterwards. The risks they named most were failing or failed treatment (86%), pain (76%) and poorly done treatment (72%).
That is a survey of dentists, not a rate of problems: it tells you most UK dentists have seen problems, not what share of patients have them. UK crowns and implants fail too. The pattern still points to what to check before you go.
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Crowns on healthy teeth
A crown covers the whole tooth, and fitting one means removing some of the tooth underneath for good. A veneer removes less (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, reviewed June 2025). If a plan crowns 20 healthy front teeth to make them whiter or straighter, those teeth will need crowns for life.
Ask for the plan tooth by tooth, with the reason for each crown, before you travel. The General Dental Council suggests speaking to your own dentist before going abroad for treatment (GDC guidance); a UK dentist can tell you whether the plan matches your teeth, or whether whitening, bonding or veneers would do.
The price grows once you are there
Quotes for Turkey are often sold as packages, and packages can leave things out. Our July 2026 price research found single implants in Turkey quoted as the post only, with the abutment and crown priced separately. That is one way a price grows in the chair.
Ask for a fixed price per tooth in writing, with a list of what is not included: scans, extractions, bone grafts, temporary teeth, extra nights at the hotel. If the dentist recommends more treatment once you are there, you can ask for it in writing and take time to decide.
No plan for aftercare at home
Problems often show up after you are home. The GDC suggests asking the clinic two questions before you book: what aftercare do you provide, and who can I contact for advice after the treatment? The NHS is not liable for treatment abroad (NHS guidance, checked 6 October 2026), so repairs at home are usually private. In the BDA survey, 65% of dentists said repairs cost patients at least £500, and 51% said more than £1,000.
How long do Turkey teeth last?
A well-made crown or veneer that is looked after normally lasts around 8 to 10 years, according to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (reviewed June 2025). That holds wherever the work was done. Regular check-ups, good brushing and less sugar help it last. When a crown wears out it is replaced with another crown, so the cost of replacements belongs in the plan from the start.
Are Turkey teeth safe?
No one can honestly say that about every clinic in any country. What you can check is the clinic and the paperwork. Turkey's Ministry of Health publishes lists of providers authorised to treat international patients; the lists are in Turkish, give legal names and addresses, and were dated 5 October 2026 when we last checked them. Turkey has no public register of dentists you can search, so ask the clinic for the dentist's name and diploma in writing. Our guide on how to check a clinic in Turkey shows how.
Before you pay a deposit
Three checks to make yourself before any money changes hands:
- Find the clinic on Turkey's Ministry of Health lists under the legal name and address on your quote.
- Ask for the dentist's full name and diploma in writing, and the plan tooth by tooth with the reason for each crown.
- Ask for a fixed price per tooth, a list of what is not included, and the clinic's written aftercare terms.
You can see the Turkish clinics we hold in the clinic directory.
If something has already gone wrong
Write to the clinic with photos, dates and what you want them to do, and keep their reply. Ask a UK dentist to examine you and write down what they find. The UK's General Dental Council cannot act on dentists abroad. Its guidance for patients points you to the regulator in the country where you were treated, which you can find through healthregulation.org. Keep every record, X-ray and receipt from the treatment.
Questions people ask
What usually goes wrong with Turkey teeth?
Three causes are worth checking for: healthy teeth filed down for crowns, a price that grows once treatment starts, and no aftercare plan at home. In a 2022 BDA survey, 87% of dentists named crowns as the treatment done abroad most likely to need follow-up work.
How long do Turkey teeth last?
A well-made crown or veneer that is looked after normally lasts around 8 to 10 years, according to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (reviewed June 2025). Crowned teeth will always need crowns.
Will the NHS fix Turkey teeth that go wrong?
The NHS is not liable for treatment abroad (NHS guidance, checked 6 October 2026), so repairs are usually private. In the 2022 BDA survey, 51% of dentists said repairs cost patients more than £1,000.
How do I check a dental clinic in Turkey?
Look for it on the Ministry of Health lists of providers authorised for international patients, under its legal name and address. Turkey has no public register of dentists, so ask for the dentist's name and diploma in writing.
Related guides: Turkey teeth: the 2026 cost and risk guide, is it safe to get dental implants abroad? and the dental implant trip, step by step.
See also: dental implants in Turkey: cost.
This guide is general information, not medical advice.
Clinics UK patients look at
The four with the most Google reviews among the dental clinics we hold. Each has a free page with its records.
Dentakay Dental ClinicIstanbul, Turkey
Attelia Oral and Dental Health CenterAntalya (Kızıltoprak, Muratpaşa), Turkey
DentSpaIstanbul, Turkey
Esnan Dental Clinics Topkapı (Istanbul)Istanbul (Topkapı, Zeytinburnu), Turkey
Written by Saher Shodhan
Saher Shodhan is the founder of Thera Travel, which publishes what the official records show about clinics abroad, each fact with the date it was checked, and answers patients' enquiries, free. More about Thera → How we write and check our guides →
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