HELEN FEW,

49, a Pa, lives in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, with husband John, 50, and their three grown-up children. Her treatment: Dental implants. AS A child, my teeth were beautiful but, when I was aged 18, I fell on a concrete floor, breaking several of them and dislocating my jaw.

I did have treatment on the NHS, but it was painful and I developed a fear of the dentist. I was so scared that I preferred to have broken teeth.

Eventually, my teeth were in such bad condition that I had to have several removed and false ones fitted — but the removable plate they were attached to was damaging the teeth around it.

I was so scared, I would cry all the way to my appointments and walk round the chair before I could sit down.

I was self-conscious and so terrified my plate would fall out that I carried Fixodent [a denture adhesive] in my bag.

It had always been my dream to have a new set of teeth, even dentures. Then someone recommended Dr Anthony Zybutz at TDC Implant Centres in London.

At the initial consultation, I was still crying, but he made me feel relaxed and gave me a couple of options — one of which was having all of my teeth replaced with implants. I didn’t want months of treatment, so decided on all or nothing. It wasn’t a small decision, but we had the money saved.

Now, I smile all the time. I’ve got my confidence back. I just wish I’d done it years ago.

DENTIST DR ANTHONY

ZYBUTZ SAYS: Helen’s teeth were in such bad shape that she couldn’t eat properly. She had her remaining teeth out.

On the same day, under sedation, she had dental implants with titanium foundations fitted and temporary teeth fitted to the implants .

The gum shrinks when teeth are removed so, after three months, Helen came back and the temporary set was replaced with a second set of teeth made of a composite material.

We expect them to last 30 to 40 years.