WOMAN PAYS £15,000 TO REPAIR TEETH AFTER TURKEY DENTAL TREATMENT

Vanessa Thornton-Yates, a celebrity makeup artist from Cheshire, has been quoted £15,000 by UK dentists to correct cosmetic dental work she received in Istanbul. Thornton-Yates travelled to Turkey after being quoted a higher price and facing an 12–18 month wait for treatment in the UK. She discovered that the 24 individual crowns she believed she had been fitted with were actually 16 teeth permanently joined together as bridges. Since the treatment, she has struggled to eat and experienced bleeding gums.

Thornton-Yates selected the Istanbul clinic after reviewing its 5-star Google rating and social media portfolio, which she felt looked natural rather than stereotypical. She had originally planned to have 20 teeth treated but agreed to increase this to 24 after being told she had a wide smile, on the understanding she would receive individually fitted zirconia crowns. During her four-day stay, her teeth were shaved down and fitted with a temporary set. On the evening of the first day, her gums bled and turned grey in colour, which alarmed her. She later discovered gum contouring had been performed as part of the treatment, though she stated this "wasn't clearly communicated" beforehand.

Thornton-Yates told reporters that her decision to seek treatment abroad came during an emotionally difficult period following her mother's death from cancer. She acknowledged that impatience—not wanting to wait the full treatment period available in the UK—influenced her choice. She now describes the decision as "flippant" and one she "deeply regrets", citing the ongoing discomfort that sometimes prevents her from eating.