The Risks Worth Understanding Before You Book

This section does not try to frighten you, and it does not argue that treatment abroad is unsafe or that treatment at home is risk-free. Every dental procedure carries risks, whoever does it and wherever it is done. What changes with treatment abroad is mainly how hard it is to put things right afterwards: the dentist who did the work is a flight away, the records may be in another language, and a UK dentist asked to take over has to work from someone else’s plan. What happens when treatment goes badly, and what to do, is in when “Turkey teeth” go wrong.

We cover the risks in two layers. First, the ones that come from the treatment itself, which would be the same in Manchester or in Istanbul. Second, the ones that come from the circumstances: short stays, compressed schedules and limited follow-up. Where we quote a number, the guide it appears in says what was measured, in whom and how certain the authors were, and links to the source. Where we could not find one, we say so rather than guess. Our editorial standards explain how sources are chosen.

Tooth preparation: the risk that cannot be reversed

Before any crown or veneer is fitted, the tooth is shaped to make room for it. Enamel does not grow back, so what is removed stays removed, and the tooth will need some kind of restoration for the rest of its life. A veneer generally takes less tooth than a full crown, but neither can be undone.

Our guide to tooth preparation explains what is removed in each case, the evidence on how often the nerve of a prepared tooth is affected, what happens when a restoration needs replacing, and the questions worth asking before anyone picks up a drill. If you read only one page in this section, make it that one.

Implant failure

An implant can fail early, if it never bonds to the jaw, or later, once it has been in use, often because of inflammation around it. The signs to look for are loosening, pain that persists, and pus or gum changes around the implant, wherever it was placed. Our guide to implant failure covers how common each type is, the main causes and what to do if it happens after you are home.

Pain and sensitivity

Some sensitivity after a crown or veneer can be part of a tooth settling. Pain that does not ease, gets worse, or comes with a bad taste or swelling needs checking. Pain and sensitivity sets out what is normal in the first days, what is not, and when to contact your dentist.

Infection and nerve damage

Infection can develop around a tooth, including one under a crown, often from decay or a dying nerve, and it needs treatment from a dentist. In rare cases, implant surgery close to a nerve can leave numbness. Infection and nerve damage explains the signs of an abscess, which symptoms need same-day care and when root canal treatment becomes necessary.

When to seek help urgently

Not every problem after dental work is an emergency, but some are. In the UK your first call is your own dentist. If you cannot reach one, the National Health Service (NHS) 111 service can advise and help you find urgent dental care. Call 999, or go to A&E, if it is hard to breathe, speak, swallow or open your mouth, if there is a lot of swelling in your mouth, face or neck, or if you have a swollen or painful eye or sudden problems with your eyesight.

Who pays, what the NHS will and will not do for work carried out abroad, and how to find a dentist willing to help are covered in NHS care and emergencies at home. We recommend reading it before you book, not after. The wider aftercare at home section covers what to expect once you are back.

Nothing here is personal medical advice, and a dentist who has examined you will always be better placed than a website to tell you what applies to your teeth.