I got Turkey teeth but botch job left me barely able to work & in debt…but I can claim some cash back from the taxpayer
A WOMAN who suffered a “traumatic” Turkey teeth ordeal is now in debt and has been forced to spend thousands of pounds after getting her teeth capped.
Lisa Martin, a health assistant from Ireland, previously shared her horrific dental journey and said she is living in constant pain after flying abroad to get dental mono crowns.
Although initially pleased with her smile, spending £1,302 [€1,500] on the procedure in 2011, she soon noticed a crack in one of her crowns, marking the start of her nightmare.
Now, 12 years later, she still lives in constant fear of her teeth decaying, having been forced to undergo several root canals to ease the pain, while knowing that it’s only a temporary measure.
The 49-year-old told NeedToKnow: “When I get pain [in my teeth], panic sets in.
“I would give anything to go to the dentist and have a normal filling or extraction.
“I think, ‘Is this the start of my teeth dying’?
“I don’t know where I will go if they can’t do a root canal. I will eventually lose my teeth.
“It plays with your head and the constant upkeep is such a financial cost, I’m constantly in debt.”
Lisa then claimed, as a result of being in Ireland: “I can claim some of it back through tax but I only work part-time so it’s not a lot.”
Lisa recently featured in a BBC documentary, titled, Turkey Teeth: Bargain Smiles or Big Mistakes, sharing her journey and urging others away from the procedure.
Jetting off once again in 2021, she was told she would need to replace her entire top set of teeth.
While out there, she decided to get her bottom teeth filed down too, at the combined cost of £3,039 [€3,500].
Lisa claims she was under the impression she was getting veneers – used purely for cosmetic reasons – but was given a mouth full of crowns, which dentists use to repair major tooth damage.
Landing back home, she developed an abscess that infected the entire side of her face, leaving her in excruciating pain.
She said: “I will lose my teeth and end up with dentures – it’s just a matter of when I’ll lose them.
“I made a stupid decision based on cost and this will now affect me for the rest of my life.
“Because all these teeth are joined, it turns into a huge job for the dentist to separate the crowns without breaking them to extract a tooth.
“The fear of the unknown is wrecking my head, because I know I won’t be able to afford to keep getting root canals.”
Turning to dentists in Ireland, the only treatment available is root canals, drilling through the back of the crowns to access the teeth.
Lisa then added: “There is no coming back from filing them down.
“I’ve had several done and am due to have another one next month.
“They start at £781 [€900] and go up to £1,04 [€1,200].
“It’s just buying me time and I’ll probably lose them all.
“I keep praying the pain isn’t a tooth that has been canalled already or it means it is dying and breaking away.
“I’m not getting implants so eventually I’ll lose them all and get dentures.”
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