Colin Blanchard, a 54-year-old divorced father from London, spent years covering his mouth when he laughed due to severe gum disease that left him with only 12 teeth. The condition caused constant pain, made eating difficult, and destroyed his confidence, especially after his divorce. He believed no woman would want to date him and avoided social situations, photographs, and even eye contact.
Harsh Comment Sparks Change
The turning point came during a day out with friends when someone he hadn't seen in years bluntly said, "Wow, Colin, look at the state of your teeth." Blanchard admitted the comment "completely knocked" him. Around the same time, one of his front teeth began protruding so far that it dried out when he was outside, making him feel self-conscious despite diligent cleaning.
When he explored dental treatment in the UK, he was quoted around £60,000 for full-mouth restoration — a cost he says was completely out of reach. "I just thought that was it. I couldn't afford it, so I carried on trying to manage," he said.
Dental Tourism to Turkey
After two friends shared their positive experiences with Longevita, a UK-registered medical travel facilitator, Blanchard contacted them. A 3D scan revealed advanced bone loss from gum disease, meaning all his teeth needed to be extracted. A staged treatment plan was devised, requiring two trips to Istanbul for extractions, bone grafting, implants, and porcelain crowns.
His mother, seeing how much his confidence had deteriorated, offered to lend him the money. "She said, 'I can't watch you feeling like this anymore.' That meant everything," Blanchard recalled.
He traveled alone to Istanbul for the first stage, having never visited Turkey before. After the extractions and implants, he was told not to wear dentures for four months to allow healing. "I'd already been struggling to eat properly. Four months without teeth wasn't the hardest part," he said.
Life After Treatment
With his crowns finally in place, Blanchard says the transformation has changed his life. "It's the little things people don't think about. I love walking down the street smiling now. I actually enjoy people looking at me because I'm not trying to hide anymore," he said.
His first meal after treatment was a simple one: he went straight to a restaurant to enjoy a proper meal again. Regarding dating, he said it's still early days: "I haven't really had the chance to get back into dating yet. I'm getting used to everything again."
Blanchard now takes oral health seriously, never skipping cleaning his crowns and using a water floss several times a day. He hopes other men don't ignore problems as he did: "Men definitely put things off. You always think you've got more time, but you don't realise how important it is until there's a real problem."
Reflecting on his journey, he concluded: "It wasn't really about the teeth. It was feeling like I had to hide myself all the time. Now I wake up, smile in the mirror and actually like the person looking back."
