London: The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the not-for-profit organisation and leading educational entity for the advancement today warned patients about the dangers of cheap overseas dental treatment.
Dentists warn they are seeing a surge in cases of botched treatment: patients coming back to the UK with badly fitted crowns and mismatched veneers, and worst of all, nerves removed for no apparent reason.
Dr. Oliver Harman, a dentist and BACD member, recently saw a 26-year-old female bartender whod been lured to Bulgaria with the promise of a smile makeover for only £1,200.
Dr. Oliver Harman, who practices at Dentics www.dentics.co.uk in London says:
I was shocked at the state of Naijas teeth when she came to my practice. I can honestly say Ive never seen anything like it: nerves were removed from six upper teeth, and two teeth were taken out entirely which by Western standards in dentistry philosophy would amount to gross over treatment, if not utter negligence.
When the nerves are removed, not only can the teeth go black but the teeth can be weakened and in a case like Naijas, who is in her twenties, she could lose the teeth entirely within a few years.
Dr. Harman says:
The people who treated Naija wanted to fit implants immediately into the ugly gaps left at the side of her mouth, when at least a six-week healing period is recommended. She declined implants but was not offered an alternative. Uneven crowns were fitted poorly with the glue clearly visible. Instead of such aggressive treatment she would have been better off with a conservative approach, such as veneers. She had no say whatsoever in the outcome of her smile.
On top of all this, one of her teeth repeatedly comes out and has to be
re-stuck. Attractive Naija is now so upset she refuses to smile entirely
and was almost too embarrassed to even show her dentist what had happened.
James Goolnik also of the BACD adds:
This case is not unusual. The public need to be very careful before taking these holidays. They may be cheap, but at the risk of permanently mutilating your mouth and smile. Currently any qualified dentist can offer cosmetic dentistry, finding an appropriately skilled cosmetic dentist is essential to ensure treatments are beautiful, natural looking and long term. The BACD helps the public to find local practitioners through their directory at www.bacd.com
About the BACD
The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry is a not-for-profit, inclusive organisation for the advancement and ethical delivery of cosmetic dentistry, open to all dental professionals including dental technicians and hygienists. Their aim is to create a dynamic, active group of members from all areas of the dental team.
The BACD, which has over 650 members, is affiliated with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the world’s largest organisation for cosmetic dental professionals.