When veneers go very wrong: ‘I knew I’d made the biggest mistake of my life’

‘The huge demand for veneers is largely driven by social media and the desire for symmetrical white smiles.’ Photograph: Holger Scheibe/Getty Images

Catherine thought she was being smart when she chose a clinic near Harley Street, the London address long synonymous with high-end private healthcare. She was in her early 30s and wanted to improve her smile. At least, looking back now – after all the pain, the nightmares and the legal fees – she thought she did.

“With hindsight, my teeth weren’t actually that bad,” Catherine (not her real name) says. “But they were quite gappy. I didn’t have the confidence to smile in photographs and used to talk with my hand over my mouth. And then I saw this voucher deal. That’s when I took the plunge.”