A 35-year-old woman who travelled to Turkey for dental treatment was left with stumps for six months, unable to eat hard food, and mistaken for a pensioner. Anamaria Ciolte said the recovery was a difficult process, both physically and emotionally.
“People would call me ‘old’, ‘dentures’ or ask things like ‘Where are your top teeth?’ – and even say I looked like I was 80 years old,” Anamaria said. “It was hurtful, especially because they didn’t know what I was going through behind the scenes.” She avoided hard foods and did not want to put too much pressure on her teeth.
For years, Anamaria was embarrassed about the look of her teeth and would avoid smiling in photos. The gap appeared when she was 26, after dental crown surgery, due to her bite not being done correctly. She experienced bullying both in real life and on TikTok, with comments comparing her teeth to “fences”.
Anamaria turned to Turkey after being quoted up to £26,000 at home. The first procedure removed previous upper dental work due to infection. She then had five implants installed alongside bone grafting and correction. In March this year, she returned to complete the treatment. Her lower teeth were prepared during the second visit, and she received temporary teeth within two days.
“The healing process required time,” she added. “Before completing the treatment, there was a period where I had to adapt and be patient, which wasn’t easy, but I knew it was part of the process.” Her treatment is now fully completed, and she is incredibly happy with the result. Her dentist said the new teeth could last 15 to 20 years or longer with proper care.
