Johnathon Pratt, from Halifax, was branded an undatable ‘horse mouth’ and was bullied over his appearance for years before he forked out £9,500 for a Turkey transformation
A dad whose shocking dental problems saw him branded “horse mouth” and swerved by women has been handed a new lease of life by a transformative procedure.
Johnathon Pratt, 35, a single full-time dad to two children, was told by women that they “wouldn’t be seen dead” with him due to dental troubles that have pursued him throughout his life. The issues were so crippling that he sometimes couldn’t eat for days because of agonising pain.
On top of the physical distress, Johnathon, from Halifax, has also been teased throughout his life by bullies, and women had turned him down without a second thought – until he took a trip to Turkey in January this year.
Johnathon decided to travel to Turkey, where he had every tooth removed and replaced with implants in a complete dental transformation.
The procedure involves extracting all current teeth and placing metal rods, usually titanium, into the jaw bone, reports the Daily Star. After these rods have completely healed, the new teeth are fitted. “Before I had surgery, my teeth used to depress me,” Johnathon said. “I couldn’t eat properly because I was in constant pain, which would affect my talking, and I would never smile or go anywhere.
“I have been bullied most of my life, called names, and missed out on opportunities. I’ve been called horse mouth for years. I was even told I could eat an apple through a tennis racket.”
“It even put me off trying to date. I’ve had a few dates where I used to just get told straight, your teeth are awful and I wouldn’t be seen dead with you.” Getting all of Johnathon’s teeth replaced in Britain would have cost nearly £35,000, putting the treatment completely beyond his financial reach.
But after investigating other possibilities, Jonathan found a Turkish clinic offering dental implants for less than a third of what he’d been quoted back home.
“Turkey for me was the only option. I had looked at getting it done in the UK, and I was getting quotes well over £35,000,” Johnathon said. He went on: “The total cost of my surgery in Turkey was just shy of £9,500. This was a massive factor in my decision to come to Turkey.”
“I can’t even say it was painful, as they used a numbing spray before even administering injections. The swelling was probably the most difficult part and lasted around five days.
“The whole procedure was fantastic, it took around 2 hours and 45 minutes from start to finish.” The treatment has transformed Johnathon’s life, giving him a completely new lease of confidence. He’s even observed growing interest from women, although he maintains he’s not seeking romance currently, focusing instead on bringing up his two young children, Lawrence, 11, and Luciana, nine.
“I love the way I look now,” Johnathon confessed. He expressed: “I am getting a lot more attention, however I am just happy with it being me and my kids for now. I still look in the mirror and tear up.”
“It feels better than winning the lottery. People look at me like a normal person, and it’s amazing.” Johnathon dedicated a year to investigating clinics and examining patients’ testimonials before deciding on his treatment. When asked what guidance he would share with others considering comparable surgery, his key message is not to allow apprehension to hold you back.
“The only advice I can really give is don’t be scared,” Johnathon revealed. “It will change your life for the better. I just wish I had known about this a long time ago.”
