Matthew Bowen, from Abercynon, in Wales, said he spent around £14,000 on the surgery, travel and accommodation – but claims he is facing another costly operation due to a botched job
A Welsh scaffolder has dubbed a dental operation in Turkey as “the worst mistake” of his life, leaving him £14,000 out of pocket and lacking confidence due to the botched job.
Matthew Bowen from Rhondda Cynon Taf, near Cardiff, underwent surgery, travel, and accommodation expenses only to find himself needing another costly procedure after his new teeth failed to give him the “perfect smile” he desired.
The 35 year old Abercynon local said his dental woes began at 19 when an assault at Tesco in Aberdare resulted in a broken jaw and subsequently crumbling teeth. Prior to seeking treatment in Turkey, the self-employed scaffolder worked tirelessly, seven days a week, 12 hours a day, to save up for the crowns he wanted but couldn’t get on the NHS and would have cost £27,000 privately in the UK.
Following advice from a Turkish friend, he chose the Aras Selcuk Advanced Dentistry clinic in Marmaris for a £7,800 operation. Dr Selcuk, when contacted, defended his work, stating: “This is the only patient with problems so far. Everyone is happy, only this guy is not.” In 2022, Mr Bowen visited Marmaris to discuss the procedure, then spent months saving before returning in January 2023 for the surgery.
The operation involved removing 18 teeth and inserting 12 metal implants into his jawbone. Following a three-month recovery period, he would return for the next stage, which included fitting porcelain crowns. However, Mr Bowen claims he experienced issues after the initial stage, reports Wales Online.
“The pain was so bad I couldn’t get out of bed for weeks. Every time I stood up my whole head would hurt. My brother flew out to Turkey to support me and then I flew home three weeks after the operation.” While waiting for his crowns, Mr Bowen had to follow a soft diet due to having no teeth. In April 2023, he returned to Marmaris to have the crowns inserted.
Nevertheless, he claims his teeth began “falling apart” within weeks, prompting him to return to the clinic in August 2023 for another operation. This time, the crowns were fitted with dental glue instead of being screwed in. Dr Selcuk told WalesOnline that he performed this procedure free of charge as a goodwill gesture, despite believing the original work was of high quality. “I had the new set put in but the same thing happened,” Mr Bowen alleged.
“My teeth are chipped and cracked. There’s damage to ten of the crowns. I’ve got a big gap from my gums to my teeth. You can see all my saliva coming through the tops of my teeth.” In a desperate bid for a solution, he flew back to Turkey in August 2024 without an appointment, only to be told by Dr Selcuk that nothing more could be done.
“He was shocked when I turned up,” Mr Bowen recounted. Dr Selcuk explained his side: “I made it free the second time, and each time he comes with something else. I told him the saliva between the gum and the teeth is normal.
“Even your original teeth can crack if you don’t take care about it. You have to be careful when eating and avoid grinding your teeth at night. Otherwise you can crack them – these teeth are porcelain.”
Despite the complications, Mr Bowen maintains that he has been vigilant with his dental care. “Ever since I’ve had them done I’ve been on a soft diet because I don’t want them to break. It’s quite frustrating, not eating the food I want to eat. I’ve got night guards and I wake up with bits of my teeth in my night guards. I feel down all the time because of my teeth. I’ve been working so many hours to get the money to get them fixed. It has been making me quite ill.”
Mr Bowen has forked out a whopping £6,200 on travel and digs, in addition to the £7,800 clinic fee. He’s hit a brick wall with UK dentists who won’t go near him after his Turkey trip, but another Turkish dentist has suggested more surgery to save his implants, setting him back another £4,000.
“Another £4,000 that’s going to cost me,” Mr Bowen lamented, facing a return trip for the op. “I don’t really want to pay any more, but I still want a perfect smile.” Dr Selcuk’s clinic boasts 8,023 “happy patients” online. He defended his work, saying he did Mr Bowen’s job as “everyone is doing”, UK dentists included.
He recounted: “When we finished the work the first time, he said he wanted to change to another set, so we did new crowns, all for free, no charge at all. I asked him, ‘Are you happy? ‘ And he says everything is good… He should just be careful. He shouldn’t eat something hard.”
