From Rehearsals to Final Teeth: My Second Antalya All-On-8 Trip
From Troublesome Acrylic Temporaries to My Problematic Permanent Zirconia Turkey Teeth
The following is a day-by-day account of my second trip to Dentatur Antalya to complete my All-On-8 procedure.
During my first visit, my wife had been with me, and things unfolded relatively smoothly. This time, I traveled alone. The extractions and implant placements were behind me, and I had been told to expect a much more routine seven-day visit to finalize my smile. I planned to stay eight days to allow some flexibility, but everything I’d been told suggested the difficult part was over.
I arrived expecting something uneventful — part recovery, part holiday — and to leave with a permanent, easy-to-maintain smile. Instead, the trip quickly became defined by a series of miscommunications, avoidable mishaps, and mounting stress.
Day One: Arrival, Assessment, and Exposure Of My Implants
(Thursday Sept 12)
During the shuttle ride to the clinic the next morning, I spoke briefly with a British woman returning for her final teeth. She explained that one of her rear implants had rotated during healing and would need to be redone. The clinic hadn’t used her rear implants to secure her temporary teeth, and unanchored implants can change orientation over time — something I hadn’t been warned about. Several of my own implants hadn’t been used to support my temporaries, and I hoped this wouldn’t become an issue.
At the clinic, the waiting area was crowded. When it was my turn, my temporary teeth were removed so the dentist could expose my implants and scan my jaws for the lab to begin producing my first set of rehearsals.
With the temporaries on the tray in front of me, I noticed the undersides were coated in a yellow film. This surprised me, as I’d been diligent with brushing and water flossing. The dentist told me it was normal. Later, my specialist in Canada would explain that this buildup was consistent with biofilm accumulation caused by an inability to properly clean beneath the prostheses — and likely why my gums were still swollen more than six months after surgery.
Of my sixteen implants — eight per jaw — five hadn’t been used to secure my temporary teeth and now needed to be surgically exposed. I was numbed, the implants were uncovered, and healing abutments were placed. With the new abutments installed, my temporary prostheses no longer fit. I was told I’d receive my first rehearsals the following afternoon.
Day Two: First Rehearsals and Early Design Concerns
(Friday Sept 13 Day Two)
I returned to the clinic and was fitted with my first set of rehearsal teeth. They were fabricated as three pieces per arch — a “3-on-8” design. Problems were immediately apparent, especially on the lower arch. Two implants on the lower front right had been placed very close together, forcing the prosthesis to be split between two incisors. The junction was highly visible and distracting.
I asked whether both arches could be made as single pieces. The dentist and translator said this was possible but explained the clinic preferred segmented designs for All-On-8 cases, as damaged sections can be replaced individually. They also acknowledged that the lower front split would be difficult to disguise due to the implant placement.
I was also told that two bony spikes on my lower jaw — which had been hidden by my temporary teeth — would need to be flattened before final prostheses could be fitted. This would require additional surgery the following day. I was instructed to eat with the rehearsals that evening so my bite could be evaluated.
Day Three: Second Rehearsals and Bone Bump Crushing
(Saturday, Sept 14)
After my next set of rehearsals was installed, I was taken to another room to address the bony protrusions on my lower jaw. I had been told this would require minor surgery, but after examining the area, the dentist said it could be managed without cutting the gums. The area was numbed, and a blunt, flat instrument was used to apply pressure and flatten the protrusions. The dentist braced my head with one hand while pressure was applied with the tool to crush each bump, each making a loud unnerving crunch.
Once the procedure was finished, I was sent back to the hotel to recover. After the freezing wore off, I went out to eat and began to notice additional issues with the rehearsals. The junction between my lower prosthesis and my gums was clearly visible when I smiled or spoke. At the time, I assumed this would be addressed in later revisions. I didn’t yet understand that this appearance was related to limited bone contouring done during my initial procedure, which prevented the prosthesis from sitting outside my natural smile window. These were still rehearsals, and I continued to trust that these details would be resolved before anything permanent was made
Day Four: A Quiet Sunday With My Second Rehearsals
(Sunday, Sept 15)
The clinic was closed on Sunday, so there were no appointments or adjustments scheduled. I was still getting used to how the teeth felt in my mouth. Nothing was painful, but I remained conscious of them throughout the day.
Later, I video called my wife to show her the rehearsals and get her feedback. Seeing them on screen helped me notice details that were less obvious when looking in the mirror.
Day Five: Growing Concerns About My Lower Arch
(Monday, Sept 16)
The overall shape of Monday’s rehearsals was an improvement. Looking at photos of myself, though, I began to worry that I’d end up with a tight, constrained grin like the Joker from Batman, with only my upper teeth showing and my lower lip pulled tight to hide the visible ridge of the lower prosthesis.
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After eating, and having a video call with my wife to get her feedback, I returned to the clinic for a bite check and further discussion. I brought up the junctions again. The dentist explained that the unusual split on the lower arch was due to two implants being placed very close together, which limited where a junction could be concealed. He said placing the split elsewhere would make it more obvious, but that this wouldn’t matter if we proceeded with the single-piece design I requested.
Day Six: Final Prosthesis Installation and a Sudden Snap
(Tuesday, Sept 17)
That morning I checked out of Paramis, as the five nights included with my Dentatur package had ended, and moved into a furnished suite a short walk from the clinic called Loi Suites. With no appointment time scheduled yet, I spent the morning at a café near the cliffs, waiting to hear from the clinic.
Later that afternoon, I returned and was fitted with what I was told would be my final prostheses—both fabricated as single pieces. During installation of the lower zirconia arch, a loud crack echoed through the room shortly after the screws were tightened. I felt a sharp jolt through my jaw.
The mood in the room shifted immediately. The dentist and translators spoke quietly amongst themselves. I was told that single-piece arches can be under significant stress during installation, particularly as they settle into position. One translator said I had been warned about this. I disagreed. Another translator who had been present during earlier discussions was brought in, and after a brief exchange in Turkish, the point was dropped.
I was then told that because there had been relatively little bone loss on my lower jaw, the prosthesis had been fabricated with less vertical material, making it more vulnerable during installation. My specialist in Canada would later explain that this was a consequence of limited bone contouring during my initial surgery; with additional bone reduction, the prosthesis could have been built taller, stronger, and positioned lower relative to my natural smile window so it would not be obvious when I spoke or smiled.
The clinic decided to remake the lower arch as a segmented design. I was instructed to eat with the upper final arch and the snapped lower prosthesis so my bite could be evaluated, and to return later that evening.
When I returned around 7 p.m., I was presented with a document stating that I had been warned about the risks of a single-piece design and promised not to post reviews about the incident. The clinic would not proceed until I signed. Only then was I fitted with a revised lower rehearsal, now split into two pieces.
By that point, the lower prosthesis had been removed and reinstalled multiple times. My gums were sore, and I was exhausted. I left the clinic late that night, uncertain about what the next day would bring.
Day Seven: Delays, Confusion, and a Late-Night Finish
(Wednesday, Sept 18)
I spent the morning at a café with my laptop, waiting to hear from the clinic. I was told my final lower prosthesis would be ready in the early afternoon.
Throughout the day, communication was inconsistent. The clinic believed my flight was that afternoon, even though I had already sent my booking showing I was leaving the following morning. At one point, I was told not to come in because they had confused me with another patient. Later, I was instructed to return to the clinic at 6:45 p.m.
When I arrived at the clinic that evening, I waited in the lobby until they were ready. I raised concerns about the risk of the lower prosthesis snapping again and asked whether I should stay longer to allow for redesign. I was told that the main risk of fracture occurs during installation or immediately afterward, and that the new two-piece prosthesis should be fine.
The clinic stayed open late to finish my case. I left around 11 p.m., physically exhausted and sore after having my prostheses removed and reinstalled repeatedly over the previous two days. I had resigned to accept the visible gum-prosthesis ridge below my lower teeth; I figured I would find a way to talk and smile without showing it, unhappy with the irony of paying a significant amount of money and going though so much just to end up with a smile that I would still feel self-conscious about.
Before leaving, my airport pickup for the next morning was confirmed for 4:30 a.m. Exhausted and stressed out, I assumed the clinic would be able to handle the details of my departure shuttle without me having to double check everything yet again.
Day Eight: Miscommunications, A Missed Flight and an Unexpected Extension
(Thursday, Sept 19)
I woke up around 3:00 a.m. to prepare for my flight home. Reviewing my booking, I realized that the 4:30 a.m. pickup time the clinic had confirmed was likely too late, given the distance to the airport. I messaged both the clinic and the driver asking for an earlier pickup.
The driver arrived just after 4:30 a.m. We reached the airport around 5:00 a.m., where check-in was chaotic. Because passengers couldn’t proceed without completing initial check-in, I didn’t reach the front of the line until around 5:40 a.m. By then, it was too late to board.
I tried to contact the clinic and the airline, but poor airport Wi-Fi made communication difficult. A Turkish airport staff member attempted to help, but there was nothing that could be done.
The clinic replied later that morning and arranged to bring me back. After reviewing the WhatsApp messages showing I had provided my correct flight details, the clinic acknowledged the pickup timing issue was their fault. I booked a replacement flight two days later at a cost of roughly $1,000 CAD.
My Final Two Days in Antalya
(Friday Sept 19 & Saturday Sept 20)
After missing my original flight, the clinic accepted that the shuttle planning was poorly done and arranged for me to stay two additional nights in another hotel until my replacement flight.
For the first time since arriving, I was able to rest, walk around, and take in the city without watching the clock or waiting for instructions.
I still wasn’t happy with the visible gum–prosthesis junction on my lower arch, but I told myself that even if the aesthetics weren’t what I’d hoped for, at least the hard part was over. I assumed the final teeth would be reliable, functional, and easy to maintain — and that I would eventually adjust to smiling a little differently.
Unfortunately, as I would learn within a month of getting back, my troubles were just beginning.
This article is part of an ongoing series documenting my experience and legal pursuit. If you’ve had a similar experience, I’d love to hear from you.
For more photos and in-depth context read my Google review of Dentatur Antalya here.
