Gobble, gobble! No, it’s not Thanksgiving quite yet, but there’s a new trend going around social media and it’s got a lot of people talking turkey. It’s called “turkey teeth” and it’s got quite a few ‘hits’ on sites like TikTok. But what is it, and is it a good idea.Let's start with the obvious. Turkeys don’t have teeth. But this isn’t referring to actual turkeys, it’s referring to the country Turkey, where bargain hunters from around the world are flocking to have their teeth corrected with veneers to save a few bucks. This isn’t a new trend. People have been traveling abroad for cosmetic surgery procedures for decades, often risking their lives (and in some cases facing disfigurement and death) using unlicensed and uncertified practitioners all in the interest of saving some money.
Simply put: no, and here’s why.It’s Not SafeFor starters, traveling to a foreign country for any kind of medical procedure is a gamble. You don’t know who you are dealing with, if their before and after photos are real, if they’re board certified or licensed in their country, or if they are really good or reputable. In short, you have no idea if they are who they claim to be.It Adds UpOnce you add up the cost of the procedure and the cost of travel, it could cost as much, if not more than having your procedure done in the United States, worse yet, if there’s a problem it can cost double to have it corrected if you need to return to the same doctor.
Which leads us to our next point. If there is damage, such as if a veneer falls off or comes loose, you will need to have this corrected. Traveling abroad again to have this procedure corrected may not be financially practical, especially if it requires airfare and another hotel stay.
If there is a medical emergency, for example an infection from your veneers after you have returned home from your medical journey, you will still need to see a doctor or dentist stateside, which will add to your total cost of treatment between your doctor visit and the cost of medication. Worse yet, you could lose the tooth or veneer if the infection is bad if the overseas doctor does not use properly sterilized equipment.
While it may seem like getting your veneers or cosmetic procedure stateside is a bigger initial investment, when you undergo a cosmetic procedure here you are better able to protect yourself and your health. That makes it a wiser investment in the look you want.To learn more about veneers from Dr. Peterson, please contact the office today.
